Despite what you might assume from the name, the first modern Polo shirt was not designed for Polo, instead, it was actually designed for tennis. Created byRené Lacoste and first worn at the 1926 U.S. Opens, the polo shirt replaced the often restrictive long-sleeved button-up cotton shirts that were traditionally worn for tennis, and replaced it with short sleeves, flat protruding collars, and... Read More

Despite what you might assume from the name, the first modern Polo shirt was not designed for Polo, instead, it was actually designed for tennis. Created byRené Lacoste and first worn at the 1926 U.S. Opens, the polo shirt replaced the often restrictive long-sleeved button-up cotton shirts that were traditionally worn for tennis, and replaced it with short sleeves, flat protruding collars, and a buttoned placket, providing a more comfortable, flexible, and breathable fit while playing the game. Lacoste would go on to win the 1926 U.S. Opens wearing his newly designed shirt, which began the widespread intrigue and infatuation for this design. Following his success, in the 1930s, Lacoste started the Lacoste brand (featuring the little green crocodile) to produce and distribute his signature tennis shirts. 

During this time, the attire worn by polo players at the time, featured thick fabrics, long sleeves, and buttoned-down collars. Created by John Brooks of the Brooks Brothers, the buttoned-down collars were specifically designed for polo to prevent the collars from moving around and distracting the players during the course of the game, as such, these long-sleeved, buttoned-down collared shirts were traditionally referred to as “polo shirts”. With the explosion of popularity of Lacoste’s tennis shirts, in the 1930s, polo players started to become aware of the short-sleeved, breathable alternative to their original polo shirt which they were quick to make the switch to Lacoste’s design, from this, polo shirts would often refer to the tennis shirts Lacoste designed in 1926. 

During the 50s and 60s, the style continued to develop, with new, lighter, and more breathable materials, while growing in popularity through labels such as Sunspel who brought the style to Britain, and the likes of Fred Perry whole encapsulated a spirit of youth and athleticism for the Americans. All of this saw the style's prominence grow from the tennis courts and sporting fields to the streets; Transforming from sporting uniform to popular casual attire. 

In 1972 Ralph Lifshitz, also known as Ralph Lauren created his “Polo” company, which focused on designing and producing causal and sporting wear. Under the Ralph Lauren Polo label where these shirts became a symbol of luxury, status, and aspiration, and saw increasing demands from fashion-savvy Americans. 

The Polo Shirt continues to evolve through time. At The Suitcase, we respect and pay tribute to the histories of each unique item and style, and with the Asian men’s fashion at an all-time high, men's boutique clothing brands such as Yeossal have taken the design from its original form and adapted it to a more modern look and feel, shop our collection of Yeossal polo shirts to discover a modern interpretation of men’s luxury clothing.