Sure, they've had their moments. But this is a brand who is still notably capable of distilling the essence of your favorite W.A.S.P.'s mahogany-lined "sporting club" locker room, bottling it in a green glass oblong universally treasured by dying people who need to endow that smelly fuckup nephew with something in their will, and continuing to sell it to this day, and sell a ton of it. And not change a thing about it.
Even crazier—or scarier—is that they're just getting around to taking over the world of retail. A report from Womens Wear Daily today explains that not only is Polo making a stupid grip of money, but they are also poised to make far, far more. Latin America and China?
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And yes, for all you holier-than-thou #Menswear types who think of themselves as above the reach of Ralph Lauren's long, moneymaking arm, don't forget: Your new Club Monaco swag comes from the Maw of Lauren as well.
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Lesson: There is some weird universal appeal to wearing a small animal as a logo that taps into the human psyche in a way we will probably never fully understand, other than the fact that exploiting the shit out of this is incredibly, incredibly lucrative.
[via WWD]