Opened in January 2015 right next-door to his Polo Ralph Lauren flagship on the city's East 55th Street, The Polo Bar has been been hailed as “casual yet refined” by those already acquainted with the eatery.
Show ponies and classic sport thematics run rife within the walls of the establishment, staying true to the equestrian references that have become so ingrained into fabric of Polo Ralph Lauren. It is this inclusive and individual approach to design that makes Lauren so successful.
“My restaurants are entirely personal, but each has a different feeling inspired by the spirit and culture of the city, its address, the architecture of the space, and, of course, the people who give it life and personality,” said Lauren of his new establishment on New York.
The Restaurant
The building's classic New England-inspired interior boasts a bar area with herringbone floors of reclaimed oak, walls paneled in pine boards rescued from an 1860s Alabama textile mill, a hefty oak bar with a hammered-brass top, and a long banquette upholstered in vintage saddle leather.
Here, patrons can sip cocktails and partake of snacks, before joining friends for dinner downstairs in the main dining room which seats 140 people. The space is adorned with equestrian art and a wood-panelled ceiling with strips of velvet billiard cloth. Sitting plump and smooth-edged, tan leather banquettes fill the space, reminiscent of vintage New York dining rooms but anglo-cized with tartan pillows. Meanwhile, the washrooms shine in emerald-green tile and brass fittings provoke nostalgia for a time of slower pace.
The menu, headed up by toque chef Sepp Stoner, includes personal food favorites of Lauren, but with a New York twist. Beef burgers, crab cakes, corned beef sandwiches and steak are all there, next to crispy kale salad for carb-free city dwellers. Meanwhile, Ralph's Coffee Icecream with custom coffee blend is toted as the star dessert.
The wood-grain aesthetic, hunter green walls and metallic framework throughout is given an extra softness with yellow amber lighting that warrants repose. After the meal - served by waiters in grey flannel trousers, leather wingtips and silk repp ties - guests can head over to the polo saddles by an open fireplace. The smell of the saddle leather props blends seamlessly with the Henry Koehler polo-inspired mural.
From the barware to the table settings, which include etched-crystal glassware and silver cocktail shakers and corkscrews - all are from the Ralph Lauren Home collection.
The Clientele
As fashion lovers invest more and more into a whole brand rather than simply wearing their favorite designer's clothes, Lauren's latest dining experience allows clients to wholly immerse themselves in his empire; drawn in by his sporting heritage and signature Polo logo.
And it is these people whom the style master himself cannot become acquainted with - seeing his designs on the characters he envisioned coming to life.
“I can’t help but see characters in the space. Just the way I ‘write’ stories through my clothes and think of my collections as movies with glamorous heroes and heroines, that same process applies to creating a restaurant,” Lauren says. “I think of who I would love to see walk through the doors.”
Polo Ralph Lauren: A History
"If you want greatness, you have to put the time into greatness.You can't have greatness overnight. And you can't have greatness just because you snap your fingers."– Ralph Lauren.
An inspiring timeline of Ralph Lauren's design ascension to the top:
- 1967 - Working for tie manufacturer Beau Brummell, the twenty-eight year old Lauren has ideas for new styles of ties. The company's president agrees to let him start his own line, which Lauren calls 'Polo' after his interest in sports.
- 1968 - Lauren sells $500,000 worth of ties in his first year to Paul Stuart, Neiman Marcus, and Bloomingdale's. A full line of Polo Menswear is launched soon after.
- 1969 - Bloomingdale's NYC opens a standalone Polo Ralph Lauren store.
- 1970 - Lauren wins first Coty Award for his unlined, "unconstructed" suit.
- 1971 - Debuts women's range of collared shirts.
- 1972 - The signature polo shirt is introduced. A full womenswear line debuts.
- 1974 - The Great Gatsby film features clothing made by Ralph Lauren.
- 1976 - Polo for boys is launched.
- 1977 - Lauren receives Coty Hall of Award for womenswear. Lauren dresses cast in Woody Allen's Annie Hall.
- 1978 - Ralph Lauren launches first fragrance.
- 1981 - First international store opens in London.
- 1983 - Ralph Lauren Home debuts.
- 1986 - Lauren wins the CFDA Retailer of the Year Award. A flagship store in Paris opens.
- 1990 - Polo Golf is launched.
- 1992 - Lauren receives the 1991 CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award.
- 1993 - Polo Sport is launched.
- 1994 - Purple Label tailored line launches.
- 1996 - Lauren by Ralph Lauren debuts.
- 1997 - PRL becomes publicly listed company.
- 1998 - Polo Sport launches RLX, a line of athleticwear for men and women.
- 1999 - Oscar Winner Gwyneth Paltrow wears Ralph Lauren on the red carpet.
- 2001 - Polo Ralph Lauren Foundation is established.
- 2002 - PRL holds first menswear show in Milan.
- 2004 - Rugby by Ralph Lauren debuts.
- 2007 - PRL launches two stores in Moscow.
- 2009 - Ralph Lauren Timepieces launches.
- 2010 - PRL launches first virtual fashion show.