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**The Official Ralph Lauren Polo Thread**
- Thread in 'General' Thread starter Started by Mound Raised,
- Start date
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After watching the documentary, I’m a little conflicted. I see a lot of early adopters of the brand from the urban communities expressing their “Love and Loyalty” of the brand but to say that Ralph Lauren would be nothing without them is incredibly obtuse.
To be in a business where you pay any respect to a gang of thieves that would rather boost your product by the bag loads at a time than pay for it is asinine. They may be legit now but best believe that while that Lo-Life movement may have been instrumental in bringing back those collections BUT it’s the boosters that may have made it harder for new comers to cop it today. Ralph doesn’t operate on limited releases but wasn’t going to take the chance of having the lot of their product boosted with a general style release. He just made sure that the boosters paid for this time around.
To be in a business where you pay any respect to a gang of thieves that would rather boost your product by the bag loads at a time than pay for it is asinine. They may be legit now but best believe that while that Lo-Life movement may have been instrumental in bringing back those collections BUT it’s the boosters that may have made it harder for new comers to cop it today. Ralph doesn’t operate on limited releases but wasn’t going to take the chance of having the lot of their product boosted with a general style release. He just made sure that the boosters paid for this time around.
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I agree. The extremely limited and tight inventory control now is a direct result of the grand larceny practiced with regularity by professional thieves back then. For all their bravado, I found many of the excerpts in the documentary to be subdued, glum, and depressing. It's ironic that those same people have to stand in line and get a wristband just to get 1 item.
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Classic fit at Macys, also had it in grey. Saw this looking for P-Wing shirts
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"Polo is lucky, Hip-Hop chose Polo"You talking about the older women who started the video. She is in everything man I swear
Am glad I wasn't the only one thinking older lady was annoying as F. Documentary was ok, not too bad. Did like how the commentary also touched on things like Hilfiger (wore a lot of that and Nautica back in day) and development of other related brands. As an older fan, grew up with the original rise and development of PRL. Taste expanded and changed over the years, but some releases still a buy. Just being more selective.
Only real disappointment or question was the last sentance at end. Why would you STILL not even release a generic feel good official comment for something that many fans and people will watch. No harm. These are different times.
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I think the Polo obsession within urban culture and Hip Hop can be attributed in large part to Thirstin and the Lo Lifes, to the point that a lot of younger Hip Hop heads might not even realize it or know about them. They do deserve props for that. However, the cult like culture surrounding some of these cats is bizarre as hell. They wear Polo day in and day out, attend functions and remain arrogant about a brand that was never meant for them. Polo's cool but the obsessive side of it is annoying. What kills me is the later generations of Lo heads who act like they were there in the 80s with the gang.
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To be honest I always thought it was cool that Ralph Lauren never really pandered to Hip-Hop (If he did it wasn't as blatant as others), the products were so undeniable that people didn't really have a choice but to **** with it. Don't get me wrong, I was the first one in here happy when Rae got his shout out, but they still kind of maintained who they were during their hey day. Now you can argue that may have cost them market share but the fact they maintained relevancy after so many different trends and era's is just dope. As they go through their retro phase and generate more interest I can see them doing something like
wuchi01
suggested, which is great, as long as they don't over extend themselves and end up alienating their "Insiders". Hype dont last forever
wuchi01
suggested, which is great, as long as they don't over extend themselves and end up alienating their "Insiders". Hype dont last forever
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Keep it a buck, Bonz among other people low key admitted RL could not really acknowledge the Lo Life's since
- They were criminals
- They were costing them money
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Welcome to the club. I got mine today too.
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I don’t knock anyone for being nostalgic about their youth. **** I wish I could be 18 again lol. Personally I grew up in Bk in the 80/90s and you really had no choice but to rock Lo cuz that’s what the older dudes rocked on the block and when you 11-13 that was cool. Now I wear polo pretty much everyday (blazers, suits, oxfords) and the retro pieces are just for collecting and rocking on weekends. I think the Lo heads made it accessible for some of us to be exposed to the brand. I know I took trips to Flatbush to Kop from boosters cuz I couldn’t afford to pay retail. I never understood the whole them wanting to be recognized by RL because them dudes got love from all of us who grew up around that and it definitely doesn’t make sense to normalize stealing. I just wish I hadn’t given away so many of my high school pieces over the years. Although for those of us who came of age in the 90s we rocked our stuff so baggy we probably still can’t fit it lol. I know I have a few x-mas knits from 94-99 that are way too big.
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I concur. The biggest annoyance was the arrogant overtones throughout the doc that Ralph would not have survived without them. Name any other brand that is regarded as holy in the streets that sustains itself by pandering to that very small niche demo. None. Well, maybe LV right now which may do more harm than good in the long-run. It wouldn’t make sense bc these people said they stole bc they couldn’t afford it.
I can see the allure of having something not originally meant for you but I can’t condone stealing and turn around saying that the brand owes you something or you made it relevant. Ralph would be a timeless classic regardless.
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I get you. A lot of them have the attitude that they 'made' Ralph, but they praise him at the same time. What I took from it was that they popularized it to the urban community. Once they put that stamp of approval on it, it was acceptable to be worn in our community. In a sense they made it hot. RL's catalog is so broad and diverse Polo would've been fine regardless, but Im not sure it would've had the cult following it did/does. And that's what I believe the whole documentary is about. Our culture is the biggest consumer. Once we accept something it spreads like wildfire, and can go out just as quick. I hate to say it, but I feel like Polo is to most of us 30+ then & now what Supreme is to the kids today. They just aren't dying over it.
What I found funny was when Prince St got shut down during the black SB release, and people were quick to say that Ralph doesn't support the urban community or doesn't want them wearing his clothes. Why would a brand cater to the same people that stole from them? He doesn't owe us anything but the gear he puts out. Our demographic isn't his sole profit share.
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I love all my peoples that had involvement in that the documentary!!!! Real rockers and not collectors. It’s a shame that culture vultures are there to feed off.**** complex and the elks. If you was not there and active I completely overstand those that do not understand,its a lot that go’s into it and it has nothing to do with clothing. And if not for a generation of Brooklyn youths that set off a ripple that turns into a global wave to a state of mind there would be nothing to even talk about .would ralph be around without our(the originators) influences?? I would have to say yes but would RLPC be what it is/they are in the minds and hearts as it is looked apound today....without question hell ******* no.Without the real there is no Polo the way it is now.That’s not a opinion that’s a fact!! Again if you was not there from day one you would never understand.
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Love me some samples.
2010 Vancouver Olympic games sweater. It’s a 100% cotton and a 100% wool sweater in the running models but they are not cable knit.
T Lo Sweater
formerly troyd
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A medium up for grabs
https://www.endclothing.com/us/polo-ralph-lauren-stadium-marsh-coat-710676323001.html#
https://www.endclothing.com/us/polo-ralph-lauren-stadium-marsh-coat-710676323001.html#
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for anyone with alot more money to spend than I got right now...
the "purple label" olympic boots are back up on polo.com. sold out almost immediately.
10, 10.5, 12
the "purple label" olympic boots are back up on polo.com. sold out almost immediately.
10, 10.5, 12
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Atleast it aint 125
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Watched the doc last night. Ralph certainly would have existed but them cats made Ralph hot in the streets organically. Brands seed items to people for exposure and such, LoLifes seeded themselves 
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Watched the doc last night. Ralph certainly would have existed but them cats made Ralph hot in the streets organically. Brands seed items to people for exposure and such, LoLifes seeded themselves
I agree. In some weird way, it is equivalent to brands giving products to so-called "influencers" (and yes I know these guys boosted). I think RL would be a success regardless but would it have the cache and cred with innercity youth that it has now? However, wanting recognition from RL is not something the originators should covet cuz they don't need it. As somebody said earlier, those who know, know.
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I would hedge that Ralph would’ve still carried its own weight in cache bc this (Lo-Life’s) wasn’t the majority that buying Ralph’s product. Boosting it—yes! But they weren’t integral to getting Polo to the billion dollar+ mark. It was the rich and affluent demo with large amounts of disposable income that helped sustain the brand. Lo-Heads (and the like) made it cool amongst a lower class that bred a bubbling subculture which earned Polo a certain cool factor but this is a white hot space that is very, very, small when you think of it on a global (billion dollar) scale.
That’s just a classic trickle down effect.
Chanel, Hermes, Rolls Royce, Lamborghini—you name it—have all been highly respected and desired by every social class but they only cater to those who can pay for their goods. Ralph Lauren is no different.
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I dont think anybody is arguing whose responsible for getting RL hot in the streets. Lo Life's were on that wave before alot of the rappers back then, I'm just saying I can understand the brand not publicly backing that movement. They certainly owe alot of that fanatic nature to them though
