My symbol was always a polo player because I liked sports, and

The words of Ralph Lauren, visionary of style and architect of dreams, carry with them the weight of both sport and symbol: “My symbol was always a polo player because I liked sports, and polo has a stylishness to it.” At first, it seems a simple explanation for a logo, a mark of brand identity. But beneath the surface lies a deeper meditation on how symbols capture aspiration, how sport embodies elegance, and how an image can transcend commerce to become a way of life.

He begins with the polo player, a figure both athletic and refined. Unlike the brute contests of some games, polo demands grace upon a steed, mastery of movement, precision of strike—all while carrying the poise of nobility. To Lauren, this was more than a pastime: it was an emblem of stylishness, of tradition fused with energy, of the spirit made visible in form. By choosing this symbol, he was not merely branding clothing; he was clothing people in a vision of dignity, power, and refinement.

The origin of such a choice is found in Lauren’s own story. Born not to privilege, but to ordinary beginnings, he looked outward toward symbols of elegance that seemed distant, almost unreachable. In adopting the polo player as his mark, he bridged that distance, offering to every man and woman the chance to wear not only fabric but the aura of aristocracy, sport, and timeless grace. It was an act of both defiance and invitation: defiance against limits of birth, and invitation to dream beyond one’s station.

History gives us parallels. Consider Julius Caesar, who chose the laurel wreath as his emblem—not only as a crown of victory, but as a signal that he embodied Rome’s destiny. Or think of Napoleon, who turned the bee, symbol of industry and immortality, into the emblem of his reign. Symbols are never trivial; they condense ideals into images, carrying stories across generations. Ralph Lauren, in choosing the polo player, joined this ancient lineage, crafting a myth that clothed millions in the aura of victory and elegance.

Yet there is humility within his words: “because I liked sports.” He does not veil his choice in complex philosophy; he roots it in the simple love of competition, movement, and play. For what is style without vitality? What is elegance without energy? A garment may drape the body, but it is the spirit of sport—the courage to strive, the grace to compete—that gives it life. Lauren reminds us that true style is not stiffness, but the marriage of discipline and play, of tradition and freedom.

The lesson for us is profound: choose your symbols wisely. The images you embrace will shape not only how others see you, but how you see yourself. A symbol is a mirror of aspiration, a compass of identity. Whether it is the polo player, the laurel wreath, or the cross, each speaks to a higher truth. To live meaningfully, one must adorn life not only with possessions, but with symbols that call the soul to greater heights.

Therefore, children of the future, remember this: let your symbols be chosen with intention, for they are not ornaments but guides. Let them remind you of the values you hold, the spirit you embody, and the destiny you pursue. For symbols endure beyond words; they travel where speech cannot go, they inspire where explanations falter. And in them, ordinary lives may be lifted into extraordinary visions.

Thus, Ralph Lauren’s words, spoken of a polo player, reveal more than a logo—they reveal the power of imagery to transform lives. His choice was not only about style, but about aspiration, not only about sport, but about identity. And so, his symbol endures, not stitched upon fabric alone, but woven into the fabric of culture, reminding us that greatness begins with vision, and vision endures through symbol.