The official line: This season, Polo Originals mixes quality craftsmanship with understated elegance. The pieces in this collection gain a sense of enduring style through a design approach that combines traditional tailoring and legacy fabrications in unexpected ways. They express Polo’s signature blend of heritage and sport—inspired by the early days of Grand Prix history when racing gear, classic workwear, and finely made tweeds all took to the track.

The Barnato take: The COVID vaccines obviously contain 5G microchips because how else could Ralph Lauren have tapped into our brains like that?

Despite our advocating for both, the name of this site is not a portmanteau derived from a fondness for day drinking and democratic alliances. It’s the name of a gentleman racer who made his name in motorsports behind the wheel of a dark green Bentley, the prototypical image of pre-war racing when it was all a clattering blur of greasy overalls, goggles and tweed. Given that, the idea behind this fall/winter 2023 line was obviously sparked by Ralph Lauren himself stumbling across our poky little website.

Titled The Polo Goodwood Collection, this clothing line was inspired—as the Goodwood name and the press photos imply—by vintage motorsports. Not a shock given what we’ve seen recently from Polo Sport, and of course Ralph Lauren’s own personal proclivities. But it’s not just tweed and scally caps—it’s details. Intricate paisley patterns. Sunglass temple tips shaped like oar blades. (These look like spoon blades—the hatchets I used would not have been comfortable at all. -Ed.) Anachronistic throwbacks, all.

Lived in and used is the aesthetic commonality here. And as much as we prefer to actually live in and use our clothing, we’ll always back an aesthetic that eschews shiny and new.

Incidentally, we can’t help but notice this collection is, in a way, the effective return of the Ralph Lauren Rugby brand. Launched in 2004, Rugby was perhaps a little ahead of its time given that the early 2000s were the height of the Affliction/Ed Hardy era. (I, for one, am no longer afflicted. -Ed.) Not exactly prime time for the trad look, Rugby was sunsetted in 2014. But fast-forward to the current day, and the look’s back in the mainstream thanks to brands like Rowing Blazers. So maybe second time’s the charm.

That’s all speculation of course. What we can say for sure is this: the Goodwood Collection is the Barnato brand come to life. It’s rooted in motorsport, it values what came before it, it’s open to all, and the only qualification for entry is your own desire to be a part of it. The Goodwood Collection may not be for everyone, but like this website it was made with the hope that it would be.

The Polo Goodwood Collection [via Ralph Lauren]