ST YLE
Fred Perry gets into the poloshirt game, launching his own slim-fitting top complete with a laurel-wreath crest reminiscent of the old Wimbledon logo. The rest of the decade would see the polo trickle into the wardrobes of well-to-do men and women outside the sporting world.
With the advent of business casual, the polo heads to the office. The shirt, by now offered in myriad colours and patterns, becomes part of the Silicon Valley uniform, linking it to nerd culture.
Polo culture has levelled out and most anyone can wear the garment without being attached to one group or another. Label lovers, hip-hoppers and hipsters can all be spotted in the iconic shirt. Lacoste, Fred Perry and the other originators remain at the top of their game.
Lacoste retires from tennis and teams up with knitwear manufacturer André Gillier to start his company Chemise Lacoste, which would initially produce his iconic shirt only in conventional tennis white.
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1960s
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1990s
The polo shirt is everywhere, worn by most everyone. British mods and suspender-clad skinheads favour Fred Perry’s brand, while Lacoste is embraced by the preppy crowds and WASPy Americans. Both labels expand to offer a variety of colours outside the traditional white.
Early.2000s
Today
The polo shirt faces even more backlash when fashion-forward types adopt the garment and incessantly pop the collar.
Ralph Lauren’s iconic Polo collection has its debut, cementing the garment’s place in fashion, not to mention its connection to the sport. The shirt is offered in 24 colours, complete with the signature polo-player crest.
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