Whether you’re channelling “country club chic” or prefer Mrs Prada’s subversive take on a sporting kind of preppiness, the past few seasons it’s been impossible to miss the return of the polo shirt.
Worn lately by everyone from Taylor Swift to Gigi Hadid – whose cashmere label Guest in Residence has a slew of short- and long-sleeved versions – polo shirts were also a favourite among fashion week attendees in 2025. Styled with everything from jeans to tailoring, the polo shirt’s versatility is what Melbourne-based British designer Christian Kimber loves about it.
“The humble polo is one of those rare pieces that invites creativity: worn on its own, layered under tailoring, dressed up or styled casually, it always adapts. I’m drawn to the boldness of colour it allows,” he says. “And perhaps most importantly, it’s completely universal and democratic. You’ll see it on a child, a president, a top model – and everyone in between – all wearing it with equal authenticity.
“The polo is a true wardrobe workhorse. It has the ease of a classic basic, but with just enough structure to elevate a look,” Kimber continues. “The collar adds polish and depth – it frames the face, sharpens the silhouette, and gives intention to even the simplest outfit. For men and women alike, it can be worn casually or styled to feel chic and considered.”
The designer also mentions the “cultural legacy” of the Ralph Lauren polo, which originally debuted in 1972 in a veritable rainbow of colours. “It’s a symbol of aspiration, versatility and timeless style,” he says. “Few garments move so effortlessly between worlds.”
The cross-demographic appeal of the polo shirt – it looks as good on women as it does on men, of all ages – can be illustrated too in how Kimber is seeing more women coming into his boutique for both ready-to-wear and made-to-measure suits.
The origins of the polo shirt – an innovation by French tennis player René Lacoste in the mid-1920s, later reimagined most famously by Ralph Lauren and a slew of designers – evoke the very idea of reinvention. A polo shirt can be worn by preppies and fashion girls, dads and stealth-wealth business moguls.