The name Ralph Lauren is synonymous around the world as a leading brand in luxury fashion goods.
Lauren was born into a Jewish family in New York in 1939, as Ralph Lifshitz. At the age of 16 his name was legally changed to Ralph Lauren; the name Lauren was chosen as it wasn’t particularly connected to anything – he was able to continue his life without persecution towards the ‘sound’ of his original Jewish name. At school Lauren earned a reputation for being a budding entrepreneur by selling hand made ties to his friends – if any of these ties still survive then they are surely a prized possession, if not a little worn and distressed! Upon leaving school in 1957 Lauren had already decided that he wanted to be a millionaire. Before reaching this goal Lauren studied business at college (before dropping out) and served for 2 years in the US Army. It is interesting to note that Lauren never attended fashion school – instead he gained hands-on experience by working for Brooks Brothers (the oldest gentleman’s clothing chain in America, founded in 1818 by Henry Brooks).
Working at Brooks Brothers surely gave Lauren the confidence and business acumen to secure funding from a local Manhattan clothing manufacturer, Norman Hilton. In 1967 Lauren opened his first store and went back to his school roots by designing and selling neck ties. In addition, he sold these ties under the label ‘Polo’. The now famous Polo logo however, had not been designed at this stage.
In 1970 Lauren ventured into women’s designs and launched a line of suits, yet he tailored them in a gentleman’s style. A new Polo emblem was added as detail to the cuff of these suits. It is this emblem that we recognise over 40 years later as a symbol of classic design, quality and comfort. In 1972 Lauren expanded his Polo range by designing a short sleeve mesh shirt – he released his new line in an incredible 24 colours. This polo shirt continues to be the defining piece of the whole Ralph Lauren Polo collection and John Anthony are proud to stock a comprehensive and exciting range every season, including shirts, trousers, jackets, ties, swimwear and many more accessories.
Here’s a snapshot of this seasons pieces from the Polo range with some suggestions of what to match them with. Remember, Polo by Ralph Lauren is all about the casual preppy look, with confidence and vibrancy!
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Polo white linen shirt with Polo red chinos or Polo red Varsity shorts & complete the look with these classic Sebagos
crisp combination for the summer with a classic white linen shirt with either cotton
stretch chinos in red or the fantastic Varsity shorts – also in red!
Navy Sebago Wentworth boat shoes will complete the look with style.
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Polo yellow Preston shorts with Polo orange classic slim-fit polo shirt and add these Maians to finish your look
if bright colours are your vice then this is surely the ultimate Polo combination for a
hot summer’s day: our fantastic yellow Preston chino shorts with the definitive Polo
piece – the polo shirt in a striking orange colourway. Mix with a cool pair of Maians
to add a smart finish to this summer outfit. And don’t forget your shades!
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Polo pink Madras plaid shirt with Polo pink Pima cotton v-neck knit then add some dark Dsquared denim jeans. Finally combine with a traditional pair of Grenson Archie brogues:
vibrancy is key with this hot Madras plaid slim-fit shirt. Wear with the slim-fit Pima
cotton v-neck knit in pink, which will match the shirt perfectly.
A pair of dark Dsquared denim jeans will add good strength, all on top of a pair of
Archie brogues by the legendary Grenson – English shoemakers since 1866.
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Polo multicolour-stripe textured polo shirt in blue, with any pair of new Monkee Genes. Add these brown and denim Sebagos to complete!
this polo shirt features an alternative type of mesh, with a soft and luxurious handle.
Combine this polo shirt with your choice of Monkee Genes, an exciting new label to
John Anthony.
Monkee Genes take high quality cotton twill and produce slim cut chinos to the
highest level. Choosing just one colour is the only challenge!
A pair of two-tone Spinnaker Sebagos (in brown, with denim detail) will successfully
complete this casual outfit.
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