Who says you need to know how to ride a horse to dress like an equestrian? Certainly not Polo Ralph Lauren, whose new Polo Blaze collection brings the elegance of the stables to city streets. (In equestrian parlance, a blaze is the distinctive white marking that runs down a horse’s face.) With its sweeping curves, rich leather, and saddle-inspired stitching, the collection has all the hallmarks of traditional saddlery, interpreted through a decidedly modern lens.
Of course, horses have long been part of Ralph Lauren’s design vocabulary (see: the iconic Polo Pony, the saddle-inspired Polo ID bag, and the Ricky, which takes some of its cues from a 19th-century saddle carrier). The Polo Blaze continues this tradition, but with a softer, more sculptural approach to the familiar codes of the stable. The collection includes shoulder bags in two sizes as well as a top-handle style, but we’re particularly taken with the larger shoulder bag.
There’s hardly a right angle in sight. From the gently curved double flaps to the sweeping, wing-like sides, every element of the bag seems to follow its own graceful arc. Even the two slender shoulder straps emerge from pointed leather tabs that recall the workmanship of a saddle. Open it up, and there’s a suede-lined interior, complete with a zippered pocket. And dangling from one side is a detachable door-knocker charm featuring the Polo Pony, a playful reference to hardware found on a Polo bag from the 1990s.
Available in Black, Currant, Ash, and Chestnut, the Polo Blaze looks particularly appealing in the latter two earthy shades. As for how to wear it? We’d pair its saddle-inspired curves with something a little less buttoned-up: a worn-in leather jacket, an oversized knit, or a favorite pair of jeans. No matter which side of the English-versus-Western debate you fall on, with the Polo Blaze, there’s no need to play favorites.
Source: www.vogue.com
