It is a feeling that you are investing in and a class that sets you apart from others. This mass customization effort is a targeted marketing focus that has a limited appeal since any customization will increase costs compared to a properly marketed mass model. An immovable fixture in the gamut of athletically-informed casual wear, Polo Ralph Lauren’s Polo Ralph Lauren t shirt enduring reputation as the epitomization of off-duty luxe has taken on many different shapes since the label’s 1967 debut. Initially emerging as an emblem of clean-cut American preppiness, the brand was reappropriated as a staple of 90’s hip-hop culture, and now enjoys a reputation that amalgamates the many peaks of its illustrious history.
Revisiting staple styles that showcase a sustained relevance, the label’s latest output is defined by logo-brandished rugby shirts and stately knits, catering to classicists and deadstock-chasing affoncionatos in equal measure. Whether by way of clean-cut oxford shirts, staple t-shirts, or classic baseball caps, unfussy statements continue to be vital facets of the label’s identity. At once playful, sporty, and versatile, Polo’s straightforward sartorial vision effortlessly translates to contemporary outfitting, blurring the line between unironic preppiness and streetwear-inflected minimalism. A testament to the merits of unwavering consistency, Polo Ralph Lauren’s rich history is as much a product of its own design as it is the product of the myriad cultural movements by whom it has been embraced. The pony emblem on Ralph Lauren mens shirts is the brands signature logo.
Customization of branded product is different than designing your own screened t-shirt. I remember back in the ’80s there was a brand with a logo of the rider falling off his horse. Ralph Lauren sued them for trademark infringement and won, putting the start-up out of business. Fortunately, I bought four or five of their polos before they disappeared. Brands have been touting the potential of mass customization for years, but is the time now right to make it work in a really big way? Ralph Lauren’s signature embroidered pony gives this comfortable cotton T-shirt an iconic finish.
The PoloTech shirt’s metrics (and OMSignal’s tech) mostly focuses on heart rate, breathing rate and calorie expenditure. All three are featured on readout “bubbles” once you launch the app. However, the real meat (and the best reason for spending $300 on a tee) can be found in the “train” and “track” tabs at the bottom.
While personalization initiatives are scattered across the CPG spectrum, personalization-at-scale remains the Holy Grail. Amazon’s Made For You, Walmart’s recent acquisition of Zeekit, StitchFix’s curated wardrobe model, and now Ralph Lauren’s mass customized polo shirts are all leading to that goal but from different angles. Through personalization initiatives, Polo Ralph Lauren t shirt consumers are not only sharing their preferences directly with CPG companies, but they are also putting skin in the game by purchasing the product. I’m only suggesting that the range of customization might want to have some boundaries. If I’m a high profile brand there are words, logos, emojis, etc. that I would not want stitched next to my own logo.