In the fashion world, few brands have embodied the appeal and recognition of modern fashion like Polo by Ralph Lauren. This iconic brand and logo has become a status symbol for people in all walks of life, creating a culture of loyal supporters.
Ralph Lauren was born in the Bronx (third of four siblings) to Frieda and Frank, who emigrated from Belarus. Calvin Klein, who also happened to be living in the same neighborhood (the Norwood area along Mosholu Parkway) attended the same elementary/junior high school (P.S. 80), but they were four years apart and did not meet until much later.
By the time Ralph Lauren was a teenager, he was already known for his unique style and fashion sense. He attended the nearby Clinton High School and then Baruch College in Manhattan, where he studied business for two years and then briefly entered the Army.
It was after this time that he began to design a line of neck ties under the name ‘Polo’ (named after the sport of the wealthy and the Royals).
He was given a single drawer at the bottom of the display case from a showroom in the Empire State Building. His ties were distinguished by a wider cut and bold, colorful stripes. They imparted a sense of class, often selling out and generating high demand for large department stores like Bloomingdale’s.
Ralph Lauren was influenced by color from his father, who was a professional painter and encouraged his son from an early age to express his love and talent for color and texture. In 1972, he produced his now-iconic series of cotton polo shirts in a variety of 24 colors and marketed the shirts with the tagline “it gets better with age”.
Polo shirts date back to Manipur, India in the early 1800’s the word ‘Polo’ is derived from ‘Pulu’ which is the name of the ball which players would hit with mallets. Due to the high speed nature of the sport, these players grew weary of the shirt’s collars flapping about, so it became not just fashionable, but practical to fasten them down with buttons.
The world’s first polo players in Manipuri, India circa 1875.
These shirts were marketed in the 1930’s and 1940’s by tennis star René Lacoste, whose “Izod” brand popularized his iconic crocodile logo. Another design Lacoste created for his fashion line featured a large, embroidered illustration of a polo player on a horse. (Lacoste was a visionary in his own right, inventing the tennis ball machine and the first steel tennis racket).
Years later, that particular design inspired Ralph Lauren and would become the brand’s signature look. The icon was matched with a classic typeface with a high stroke contrast and flat unbracketed serifs. He would also place the name ‘POLO’ in front of his own name, successfully creating a brand that would symbolize the sport along with the lifestyle and image it represented.
Some critics would challenge the brand’s vision, but they were of little consequence and put to rest by the words of Ralph Lauren himself:
“I am not a fashion person. I am anti-fashion. I am interested in longevity, timelessness, style. I don’t design clothes; I design dreams”
Today, the Ralph Lauren Group is a publicly traded company that manages a total of 17 fashion brands and 4 lifestyle brands with 500 locations across 30 countries. Only a handful of designers and brands have enjoyed this much widespread success and popularity, which continues to this day.
FAQs
In 1972, Ralph Lauren included his “polo shirt” as a foundation part of his original fashion line called “Polo”. This line, featuring an embroidered emblem depicting a polo player and pony, has no doubt helped to cement the name “polo shirt” to describe the knitted shirt originally designed by Rene Lacoste.
What does the polo logo stand for? ›
The polo player atop the horse stands as a symbol of power and strength. It's a symbol of authority. It's modern, fresh, and classic — but it's also a simple logo design that moves and adapts with the times.
What is the history of polo brand? ›
Enter Ralph Lauren. In 1967, Polo debuted as a tie-making brand in New York City. By 1971, Ralph Lauren was designing clothes, and had introduced the now-iconic Pony insignia—not on a Polo shirt, but on the cuff of a women's tailored shirt.
Where does the original polo logo face? ›
The distinguishing feature is the direction in which the pony logo is pointing; Polo SA points right and Polo Ralph Lauren points left. Polo Clothing South Africa - Brand Innovation is proud to be a supplier of the Polo South Africa range of products in South Africa.
What is the history of polo? ›
Polo has been called "the sport of kings", and has become a spectator sport for equestrians and high society, often supported by sponsorship. The progenitor of polo and its variants existed from the 6th century BC to the 1st century AD, as an equestrian game played by the nomadic Iranian and Turkic peoples.
What is the story of polo shirt? ›
This shirt was the first to have a buttoned-down collar, which polo players invented in the late 19th century to keep their collars from flapping in the wind. Brooks Brothers' early president, John Brooks, noticed this while at a polo match in England and began producing such a shirt in 1896.
What does the 3 on polo shirts mean? ›
This wear-with-anything Polo shirt is finished with our signature Big Pony and a “3” patch, representing the number worn by a polo team's strongest player.
Why are shirts called polo? ›
We call them polo shirts because Ralph Lauren, who was in the process of establishing his brand — Polo — liked the design and decided to produce his own version. This coincided with a rise in the use of polyester in manufacturing processes, which Ralph wasn't a fan of and so manufactured his shirts from 100% cotton.
Did polo change their logo? ›
But the signature Polo Pony is a classic design that is now being relegated to, well, the classics. In this new collaboration, the pony in the logo has been replaced by Fortnite's iconic piñata llama.
What brand has polo logo? ›
In 1971, Ralph Lauren Corporation launched a line of tailored shirts for women, introducing the Polo player emblem on the shirt cuff.
Classic Polo, One of the India's finest indigenously manufactured T-shirt brand was launched in 2001, Feb 14th by Royal Classic Groups. The flagship brand of Royal Classic Groups, Royal Classic Group was Incorporated in 1991, it has all the value chains from fiber to fashions.
What does polo assn stand for? ›
U.S. Polo Assn. is the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), the nonprofit governing body for the sport of polo in the United States.
What does the polo logo mean? ›
The logo was introduced in 1971 and features a polo player riding a horse, set against the backdrop of a polo field. The logo is meant to evoke a sense of timeless, classic style and a preppy, affluent lifestyle, and has become one of the most recognizable fashion logos in the world.
Which polo is original? ›
The labels
The main one shows the brand logo with the words "Polo by Ralph Lauren", a second, smaller label on the right-hand side of the first, indicates the size of the item and finally a small, rectangular label, usually a little lower down on the collar than the first two, indicates the cut of the polo.
Where did the polo design come from? ›
1800s: Classic design; Indian origin
It's thought that in the early 19th century after being stationed in Manipur, India, the British military introduced a variation on the polo shirt to the UK. They were inspired by the dress shirts of Indian aristocrats who wore striped, hip-length, round-neck jerseys.
What is the origin of the polo Club brand? ›
Beverly Hills Polo Club, established in 1982, exemplifies the lifestyle that is Southern California. Inspired by both the luxury and heritage of Beverly Hills, the brand captures the excitement of the sport of polo along with the exclusivity of membership to a private club.
What designer has a polo logo? ›
In 1972, the Ralph Lauren Corporation introduced a signature cotton mesh Polo shirt in various colors. Featuring the polo player logo at the chest, the shirt became emblematic of the preppy look—one of Ralph Lauren's signature styles.
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The world’s first polo players in Manipuri, India circa 1875.
