Cognitive Dissonance: "Polo = Prole/hiphop/Outlet brand" vs. "Ralph Lauren/RLPL is not"

[w.o.e.is.me.]



But, is that really so? Outside of RLPL, I don't think SF reveres RL as it does other brands.
I mean, if their brand wasn't diluted in some manner, this thread would not exist.

Listen to the implication you just made:
unless i misunderstood your point, you're stating that the fact that a "lower class person" is wearing RL automatically means the brand has been "diluted"?

 

[jrd617]

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[Klobber]

..........

 

[Saturdays]



There's no way Ralph Lauren hasn't diluted the brand name. For most people, It's now associated with expensive stuff that can be had for cheap at outlets and department stores.

That is true - it is easily accessible by anyone with around $10, maybe less. My brother once bought a Polo from Macy's for about $6.99. As a person he seems like someone who wants everyone to experience Ralph Lauren, which means he doesn't mind it becoming diluted - but they do a good job of keeping it a well recognized brand that people praise above most other Outlet brands. It may be diluted and thought of as an expensive brand that can be bought for cheap, but for the most part its still a great brand.

 

[Nicola]



I saw a lower class person wearing black sneakers stamped with a red "Polo" marking

Just because he was wearing comfortable shoes doesn't make him lower class.

What you need to tell us was he bald? That's the telling thing .

 

[unbelragazzo]

I was in the RL store in DC the other day. There's surely better or as good quality to be had for a lower price if you spend enough time researching and looking hard enough, but there is a LOT of permanent style and great items from the Polo line. If the attempt here is to say that RL has "sold out" and is now equivalent to Boss or D&G, I heartily disagree. Someone buying most of their clothing at RL and coordinating it well would be paying more than they have to, but would be quite well dressed IMHO.

 

[MikeDT]

Problem I think is with the word 'polo', it's a common noun and so it gets used on many things like clothes, cars, sweets, the game with horses, etc. 'Polo' is a frequently used name for clothing in China, which has nothing whatsoever to do with Ralph Lauren. Similar with other common nouns like 'golf', 'rugby', 'soccer', 'fashion' and 'vogue'

AFAIK 'polo' is a common noun and dictionary word and so is different from an artificially made up word like 'Prorsum', which is a registered trademark of Burberry.

BTW there is a clothing and fancy goods store near where I live that has the charming title of 'Beverly Hills Polo Club', of course it's nowhere near Beverly Hills or the USA. Although most people round here wouldn't really care because they don't read English, however it looks nice in red neon.

EDIT:

I wonder if Giorgio Armani have a similar problem with 'emporio', 'collezioni' and 'exchange', all of which are common nouns(English or Italian) and dictionary words.

 

[LA Guy]



There's no way Ralph Lauren hasn't diluted the brand name. For most people, It's now associated with expensive stuff that can be had for cheap at outlets and department stores.

That's the beauty though. Yes, it means this, but at the same time, it means the Rhinelander mansion, and the Ralph and Ricky Ranch (yeah, I wear a lot of RRL), and Ralph Lauren's famous stable of cars and horses. The man is a marketing genius. I can also tell you, first hand, that when it comes to advertising, they hold every ******* card. I mean, the entire deck. You get to say yes sir, no sir, either way, sir, I'd like it hard in the butt.

 

[Sanguis Mortuum]



an artificially made up word like 'Prorsum'

'Prorsum' is Latin for 'forwards'...

 

[bleachboy]

I've been here for a while, and I don't recall anybody saying that PRL was junk. I own lots of it, just like a bunch of folks here. I love their dress shirts.

Also, I'm gonna play the race card.

 

[JubeiSpiegel]

I use to be a lower class person, and i did find that it was difficult to wipe off the "lower class" sign stamped on my forehead with a PRL handkerchief. Luckily, it came right off with a Hermes handkerchief though...

 

[MikeDT]



'Prorsum' is Latin for 'forwards'...

Romanes eunt domus!!

 

[gladhands]

Lower. Class. Black. Person.

 

[bourbonbasted]



Lower. Class. Black. Person.

I'm assuming that is a "FTFY" for Reev's title and OP. They both reek of racism.

 

[gladhands]



I'm assuming that is a "FTFY" for Reev's title and OP. They both reek of racism.

That's where I stopped reading.