Brand History - Polo Ralph Lauren

Whether it's the legendary polo player logo or the iconic teddy bear, Polo Ralph Lauren has created a high recognition value for itself with its logo and mascot. For 55 years now, Polo Ralph Lauren has been a part of the fashion world, significantly influencing and changing it. The brand established itself as the flagship for a chic, modern, American style and is worn by young and old alike, then as now.

The story began in 1967 when Ralph Lauren (born Ralph Lifshitz) launched a tie collection he named "Polo." Just a year later, in 1968, he presented his first menswear collection, and in 1970, the first Polo by Ralph Lauren store opened in the legendary Bloomingdale's department store in New York City. The store was the first in Bloomingdale's dedicated solely to a single designer.

The next successes and milestones were not long in coming. In 1971, the first independent store opened on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, and in the same year, the legendary Polo pony logo made its debut on a women's shirt. A year later, Polo Ralph Lauren released the garment with which the brand is probably most often associated - the polo shirt! Although the first polo shirt was invented by René Lacoste (read more here), Ralph Lauren managed to redevelop the garment for himself. Ralph Lauren's polo shirt was not made of cotton pique but of interlock. Together with the iconic logo on the chest, the new version of the polo shirt quickly established itself and embodied what Polo Ralph Lauren stood for at its core - sporty yet elegant.

The 1980s were to become a decisive decade for the brand. With the rise of the preppy & collegiate look in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Polo Ralph Lauren became an integral part of many outfits – both on and off campus. And while the brand established itself in the elite circles of young adults from more affluent families, the so-called Lo Lifes adopted the brand's identity and made something of their own. Lo Lifes referred to a subculture from Brooklyn centered around Polo Ralph Lauren. The "Lo" thus came from "Polo." The movement was particularly active in the 80s and 90s and had a wide reach. At the core of the Lo Lifes was the way they dressed, namely Polo Ralph Lauren from head to toe. What made Polo Ralph Lauren a central point was how the brand was particularly associated with the elite college kids from the Ivy Leagues of the country. Since many members of the various Lo Life groups came from more disadvantaged backgrounds, many of the Polo items, especially in the beginning, were not bought but stolen, so the increased attention had a bitter taste for the brand. Nevertheless, the Lo Lifes represent an important part of the brand's history. They showed how Polo Ralph Lauren could be styled in a different way and virtually created a completely unique brand image.

The most important thing: Ralph Lauren from head to toe

In 1991, the time had come – Polo Ralph Lauren introduced its "mascot" – the Polo Bear! Jerry Lauren, Ralph Lauren's brother and an enthusiastic collector of Steiff bears, received a Steiff bear from his colleagues, dressed just like him. At the same time, Ralph Lauren also received a bear, dressed in a Western look. Thus, not only was a new tradition born, Ralph Lauren was so inspired by the Steiff bears that he incorporated them into his designs in two different ways. The first was a limited edition teddy bear, produced in collaboration with Steiff. The second was the bear design that found its new home on sweatshirts, T-shirts, or denim jackets, for example. The Polo Bear became the brand's flagship alongside the polo player logo. Even today, sweatshirts with the Preppy Bear have a large fan base!

Emily Ratajkowski in a Polo Sport Sweater (2019)

In the 90s TV series, the fashion brand was also repeatedly represented by its clothing. But one series directly focused on Polo Ralph Lauren – namely Friends. Not only were there minor allusions to the brand, as Rachel, one of the main characters, even worked at Polo Ralph Lauren. And furthermore, Ralph Lauren himself had a guest appearance in the series. In 2019, Polo Ralph Lauren even launched a Friends collection.

But even in the more recent past, Polo Ralph Lauren has managed to create unique and outstanding concepts and campaigns. These include, for example, outfitting Team USA for the Olympic Games in 2008 or the collaboration with the skate shop Palace in 2018.

We've also collected some images of vintage Polo Ralph Lauren advertisements from the 70s, 80s, and 90s for you, which you can find below. Additionally, all our vintage Polo Ralph Lauren items are available here!