Known for its preppy designs, Ralph Lauren is not exactly the kind of brand that comes to mind when one thinks of tech or the metaverse. But fashion brands go where their customers are, and these days, customers are to be increasingly found in virtual worlds. This is perhaps why the company has partnered with one of the world’s most popular video game brands, Fortnite, changing its iconic logo for the first time ever.
Since its inception in the late 60s, Ralph Lauren shirts have been instantly recognisable by the imprint of a man riding a purebred horse, mallet in hand, chasing a polo ball. But the signature Polo Pony is a classic design that is now being relegated to, well, the classics. In this new collaboration, the pony in the logo has been replaced by Fortnite’s iconic piñata llama. It now appears in all Lauren-designed in-game outfits and an IRL clothing line that complements, and in many cases replicates the digital designs.
When Ralph Lauren founded the company 55 years ago, he came up with the original logo after watching the famous polo scene in The Thomas Crown Affair. In the movie, Steve McQueen plays Thomas Crown,
a man so rich that he organises a bank heist just for the thrill of it. His designer wardrobe and plush New England home were both inspirational and aspirational for young Lauren, so he created a brand to help people role-play that lifestyle.
The Fortnite generation, however, couldn’t care less about McQueen, New England or even polo for that matter. All they like to do is play games in metaverses which, according to David Lauren, the founder’s son and chief of branding and innovation, was picked for the partnership because of how modern, exciting and future-thinking it felt to the company’s creative team. “Ralph Lauren has always designed dreams and created new worlds, our collection will deliver a first-of-its-kind experience to a new community of next-generation consumers,” David said in an official statement.
Also, this is the first time that Ralph Lauren has come up with a collection digitally first, before creating physical apparel based on those designs. So, if you want a virtual Ralph Lauren piece with a piñata llama polo player, the company will charge 1,500 VBUX (Fortnite’s digital currency) per outfit. In the real world, the company will be selling hats and polos with the new logo from $60 to $188.