“It was never about a shirt, but a way of living,” said world famous fashion designer, Ralph Lauren, about one of the most iconic and popular garments ever sold by the label: the polo shirt.
Celebrating the brand’s most iconic product, is Rizzoli International’s collector’s coffee table book, “Ralph Lauren’s Polo Shirt.”
The polo shirt is the quintessential, singular piece of clothing that is ubiquitous and has served as the canvas for the lifestyles and worlds that have inspired Ralph Lauren since 1972. The 360-degree marketing campaign to accompany the book launch will reflect on the incredible cultural impact that the Polo Shirt has had over the past five decades and reintroduce it to a new generation of consumers through a series of initiatives and installations, a collection of sustainable, creative and customizable Polo Shirts available for purchase, immersive storytelling and more.
Rizzoli International will publish Ralph Lauren’s Polo Shirt (170 AED), which is a fascinating look back at the history of the enduring wardrobe classic. With beautiful photography, an introduction by Ralph Lauren, and an afterword by David Lauren, the book shines the spotlight on the shirt, itself. Embodying a chic casualness that is uniquely American, the Polo shirt is a cultural symbol, worn by everyone from movie stars and presidents to athletes and artists. As stated within the first chapter, “The Polo shirt is to Ralph Lauren what Mickey Mouse is to Disney or the Empire State Building is to New York City.”
Whether worn with the collar popped up, open and untucked, or dressed up under a suit jacket, the Polo embodies the optimism of American style. For over five decades, the Polo shirt has journeyed everywhere, creating memories for all who have made it part of their lives.
As Ralph Lauren, Executive Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of Ralph Lauren Corporation, states in the introduction, “I wanted the shirt to become part of the life of the person who wore it. I never knew that after fifty years it would become such a personal icon all over the world. What I do has always come from the way people live. It’s honest and from the heart and hopefully that is what touches the diversity of people who wear my Polo and all my clothes.”
This 544-page book celebrates and documents the iconic style and influential impact of the Polo Shirt, which has never been defined by the latest trend. A juxtaposition of modernity and heritage, tradition and individuality, refinement and ease, it always endures and continues to evolve in innovative and sustainable ways. As seen through historic imagery and told through the personal stories of celebrities, politicians and presidents, royals, world class athletes, as well as everyday people, the book showcases various individuals who have made the Polo their own and inspired others to follow suit along the way.
Ralph Lauren also aspires to use responsibly sourced and sustainable materials that prolong product life while requiring less from the planet. In line with those sustainability goals and initiatives and in connection with the launch of the brand’s latest book Ralph Lauren’s Polo Shirt, there will be expanded offerings of the classic Polo Shirt available, and a limited number of select vintage and collectible designs, seen within the pages of Ralph Lauren’s Polo Shirt, will be made available for purchase in select stores and select regions globally. Sourced from the brand's exclusive archival collection, each piece was carefully examined by Ralph Lauren experts to verify their authenticity. Also introduced by way of this vintage offering will be The Upcycled Polo Shirt. Selected from a limited-edition collection of Polo Shirts that have been hand-repaired by artisans from the Los Angeles-based circular design platform, Atelier & Repairs, each Polo is sourced from North America, and given a second life through a unique over-dyeing process that gives each shirt its vibrant true indigo hue and patched with vintage fabrics on the placket and at the gussets. Exciting new options will also be built into the Create Your Own (CYO) Customization program featuring the recently introduced Custom Polo, Made to Order that includes a choice of solid, striped or color-blocked designs for the body, collar and sleeves, as well as the ability to have lettering and symbols knit into each cuff. This on-demand manufacturing model helps reduce product inventory and provides hundreds of combinations available for the customer to make each polo their own to then be knit to order using elevated flat knit technology.
