The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2021 - Issue 30

bitedesignerprofile Following his Wimbledon commission, Polo Ralph Lauren was asked to design looks for the US Olympic and Paralym- pic teams as they walked the opening and closing ceremonies, along with an assortment of village wear at the 2008 Olympic Summer Games in Beijing, China. Two years later, he received the keys to New York City from Mayor Michael Bloomberg at the opening of the brand’s first women’s flagship at 888 Madison Square. He is the first designer to receive this historic honour. In 2014, Polo for Women made history when Lauren debut- ed the collection with a groundbreaking 4D water projection fashion show featuring models holographically projected onto a wall of water shooting nearly 60 feet into the air above The Lake in Central Park. Four years later, he wrote a new chap- ter in wearable technology with a cutting-edge parka, designed exclusively for Team USA, providing up to 11 hours of elec- tronically controlled warmth via an exclusive onboard heating system. To mark a half-century of timeless American style, Ralph Lau- ren welcomed more than 600 celebrities and friends including Oprah Winfrey, Anna Wintour, Bruce Springsteen and Hilary Clinton to a landmark fashion show in the heart of New York. The celebration showed an immersive digital installation show- casing 50 years of groundbreaking advertising and a seated din- ner set against the backdrop of Central Park’s iconic Bethesda Terrace. Thanks to his vision and impactful decisions, Ralph Lauren has touched not only fashion enthusiasts within the United States for over 50 years but also the world with his innovative Polo brand. I have always admired Lauren but revisiting his achieve- ments from a closer perspective has increased my respect and appreciation for the designer. The Polo brand and its player emblem is a symbol of authenticity and craftsmanship that can never be replicated. www.ralphlauren.co.uk