TOKYO — The celebration of Ralph Lauren’s 60th anniversary next year has already begun with the debut of PoloFest in Tokyo.
The three-day event brings together Polo’s top vintage collectors from around the world, leading cultural voices, consumers and fans of the brand to celebrate its timeless style and passionate communities.
Japan’s long history and deep connection to Polo make it the fitting backdrop for the event.
“When I first came here with my father 40 years ago, we met people who were collecting Ralph Lauren,” said David Lauren, chief branding and innovation officer. “They took us to see their collections, and we realized there was a whole subculture here in Japan. There were stores dedicated to buying and selling vintage Ralph Lauren, and we hadn’t realized this entire culture existed.”
“As we started meeting collectors, we discovered they were trading with people in Italy, France, England, Germany, across the United States and really on every continent. Through Japanese collectors, we began meeting people from around the world who were trading Ralph Lauren,” he said.
“We realized that if we could bring everybody together, it would be amazing. We considered New York and London, but we felt there was something special about doing it in Tokyo. It marks our 50th anniversary in Japan, as we approach our 60th global anniversary and it’s also the 20th anniversary of our store in Omotesando. A lot of things came together to make this a unique opportunity.”
In a pop-up event space just steps from Harajuku station and Meiji Shrine, Ralph Lauren has created a retail experience that feels just like one of its freestanding stores, with wood-paneled walls, rich hues of blue and green and layered rugs giving in a classic, lived-in feel. The difference, however, is in the product selection. Rather than the latest Polo collections, there is an impressive array of vintage pieces dating back decades, all curated and brought in by passionate collectors.
“Ralph Lauren was always highly regarded in my house. My mom worked in fashion for many years, so she introduced me to fashion at a young age. The first designer she introduced me to was Ralph Lauren,” said Julia Rabinowitsch of Millennial Decorator. “I was always a dreamer as a kid, and I loved imagining myself in worlds I wasn’t part of. That’s what drew me to Ralph Lauren. He created entire universes out of hopes, dreams and imagination.”
After a career of sourcing fashion items in the U.S. to be sold in multibrand boutiques in Japan, Kazutaka Yadomoto opened Vault Up in Chigasaki, a beachside town outside of Tokyo, less than a year ago. The area is home to lots of active people, which works well for Vault Up’s sporty aesthetic.
“Ralph Lauren is my favorite brand,” Yadomoto said. “And I wanted more people to become interested in it as well, so I decided to specialize exclusively in Ralph Lauren.”
A total of 20 collectors from 17 stores contributed merchandise to the selection, which is organized by theme and style. Laird Mackintosh is a former Broadway actor and prominent collector of Polo ties and tailored pieces, which he sells at his store Thoroughbred NY in upstate New York.
“Meeting Ralph Lauren 12 years ago was one of the greatest thrills of my life. I told his son, who I met last night, that even though I was practically incoherent from being starstruck, I managed to tell Mr. Lauren, ‘I think you’re a great artist.’ I genuinely believe there is so much artistry in his work, and that’s what I respond to,” Mackintosh said. “There’s a refined beauty to what he has created. He has explored so many different styles, but I’m particularly drawn to the English-inspired tweed jackets, the haberdashery, the beautiful silk ties and the Fair Isle sweaters. There’s a real beauty in those pieces. The jacket I’m wearing is one of his tweed jackets from the 1970s. It’s 50 years old, and it’s timeless. There are a million tweed jackets in the world, but his are special for a number of reasons. That’s how I feel about them.”
PoloFest is the first in a series of global events that will celebrate six decades of the brand. In addition to the vintage shopping experience, there are daily talks by collectors and other opinion leaders, an exhibition celebrating the brand’s history, an exclusive merch shop and a Ralph’s Coffee truck. The entire experience highlights how the brand has created one of the most recognizable and successful lifestyle aesthetics in the world.
“It’s not really about a shirt or a dress. It’s about community. Most fashion brands focus on a shirt or a dress, but we’re about a way of living, a culture, a community and a shared set of values. People may share a love of clothing, but what really matters is the meaning and the stories behind it,” Lauren said.
The opening party for PoloFest on Thursday night attracted a number of local and international celebrities, including André 3000, Janelle Monáe, Conan Gray, Mark Lee and Tyson Beckford.
Beckford, who has worked with Ralph Lauren for 34 years, said that being at PoloFest was like stepping into a time machine.
“It takes me back to when all these pieces first came out. Every room has something from that era, and I modeled some of those pieces myself,” Beckford said. “It’s nostalgic. You can’t find this kind of history and breadth at just any other brand. Maybe Chanel has a comparable history and Balmain as well, and there are other heritage brands, but Ralph Lauren is different because it encompasses everything: men’s, women’s, children’s. I don’t think the other brands I’ve mentioned offer a lifestyle quite like this. Ralph Lauren has everything. You’re going mountain climbing, sailing on a yacht or playing golf. He created a world around all of it. Other brands could do something similar, but he actually did it. There will never be another one.”
The exhibition showcases Polo’s deep ties to Japan. Artisans specializing in the repair and restoration of classic workwear have upcycled vintage Ralph Lauren styles into items that are beautifully patched and stitched until they have taken on a new life. One of the artisans, Yui Narita of Brown Tabby Works in Osaka, created 38 upcycled styles in just six months. Visitors to PoloFest can purchase these one-of-a-kind pieces, to be sent to them after the event wraps.
“It’s an absolute honor to be participating,” Narita said. “It hardly feels real.”
Lauren said that it’s not only a shared love of the Ralph Lauren aesthetic that has drawn Japanese consumers to the brand’s clothes, but also shared values.
“What you see here are the stories behind the clothes,” the executive said. “The artisan collaborations reflect a love of craftsmanship and denim, and a love of taking preppy Americana and giving it a unique Japanese twist. Japanese culture adopted American style in its own way. There’s a maturity and sophistication to that interpretation that you can’t find anywhere else in the world, and it has inspired us. Ralph Lauren is proud that Japanese people wear the clothes, but he’s even prouder of the way they’ve made them their own, bringing their own style, perspective and distinctive way of wearing his designs.”
Ralph Lauren has planned a number of other initiatives around the world to celebrate six decades of the brand’s history. While it has not been revealed if PoloFest will have iterations in other cities, Lauren said that if it did, the company would localize its content to each city.
“I think what this event does is crystallize the idea that fashion doesn’t need to be transient and ephemeral. Good clothes and good design are about timelessness. Every generation, especially younger generations, is searching for things that last. This event crystallizes our vision and inspires us to recognize that our brand is more relevant now than ever, because its philosophy and values are needed more than ever,” Lauren said. “Younger people walking through here are craving things that have meaning and value, things that aren’t disposable or discarded after a year in the closet. They want clothes that become part of their lives and get better with age. This event is proof of our philosophy, but it’s also a launching pad for connecting with a new generation. It reinforces who we are and gives us confidence that, over the next 60 years, we have something that is truly timeless.”
PoloFest opens to the public on Friday for just three days. While entry is free, visitors must register for tickets from Ralph Lauren’s official Line account. David Lauren said that 10,000 people have signed up to attend the event over its three-day run.
“There’s a tremendous energy and love for Ralph Lauren here in Japan,” he said.