A book that celebrates an iconic garment with which they have grown – and will grow – generations, Ralph Lauren’s Polo Shirt is published by Rizzoli International and is a beautiful journey in the heart of the American brand. “It was never a shirt, it was a way of life,” said Mr Ralph Lauren, and these simple words encapsulate the essence of his heritage. 50 years after its debut, the polo remains a timeless icon of every wardrobe.
The polo of RL is a shirt-non-shirt, elegant and sporty, a garment able to transform for every occasion and that evolves over time. Although the name is inevitably attributable to the same sport, ironically, polo owes its origins to tennis. In 1926, René Lacoste designed his short-sleeved cotton piqué shirt with collar and wore it to the US Open. A year later, in homage to his nickname, he added a crocodile on his chest. After retiring in 1933, he began producing and selling his jersey to fans; in the decades to come, prominent figures including presidents (Eisenhower, John Fitzgerald Kennedy), Hollywood legends (Bing Crosby, Bob Hope), athletes (Arnold Palmer) and style icons of the royal family (the Duke of Windsor) flaunted a polo in public. At the same time, the model (increasingly made with the new high-tech fabric of the time, polyester) began to take hold on the Ivy League campuses, becoming a symbol of the preppy style.
Here comes Ralph Lauren. In 1967, the Polo brand debuts in New York with a line of ties. In 1971, Ralph Lauren is now an all-round clothing brand and debuts the coat of arms of the pony, now an icon of the maison, not on a polo shirt, but on the cuff of a women’s tailored shirt. The following year there was another debut destined to mark the history of fashion: it was 1972 and Ralph Lauren launched his polo. Made of interlock instead of cotton piqué, it adapts better to the body of the wearer and becomes an instant success.
The evolution of the times has brought always new versions of the pole. From the successes of the 80s and the iconic cover of Vogue with Brooke Shields next to the title “The American look at its best!” up to the revisitations of the fit in the years 90, with the annexed evolutions of the pony. In 1994 the Mini Polo for women debuted on the catwalk, characterized by a drier fit and a reduced length that is still available today. And what would the ’90s have been without the Polo Bear? Everyone’s favourite fashion icon appeared on the polo shirt not long after its debut in the Holiday collection 1991-1992.
Testimonials, ambassadors, breathtaking advertising campaigns, friends and friends of the maison all find a place in the timeline within the book Ralph Lauren’s Polo Shirt, there is really a world of faces and anecdotes to discover for the true lovers of the brand.