Arts

Ralph Lauren’s Most Iconic Piece is Reimagined in Deep Ellum

The Neighborhood Gets a New, Interactive Mural For the Brand's Public Art Initiative

By Megan Ziots // Jul 9, 2020

Photography Nika Kramer

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As part of Ralph Lauren Polo's public art initiative, Dallas artist Steve Hunter painted this mural in Deep Ellum. (Photo by Nika Kramer)

Dallas artist Steve Hunter painted the city's Polo mural in Deep Ellum. (Photo by Nika Kramer)

Use Snapchat to experience an augmented reality animation at the Dallas mural. (Photo by Nika Kramer)

Chicago artist Janson Rapisarda's (@cera_streetart) mural for the Polo initiative. (Photo by Nika Kramer)

If you plan on getting some air this weekend, and happen to stroll east down Commerce Street in Deep Ellum, a vibrant new mural will definitely catch your eye. Designed with every color of the rainbow and two figures wearing Ralph Lauren Polo shirts, the striking work is a part of the iconic brand’s new public art initiative, “Polo Public Art,” which launched nationally this month and aims to reinterpret the classic shirts (whose enduring form has been around for five decades) for a new generation.

Kicking off with murals in three big cities — New York, Chicago, and Dallas — the street art will be followed with 3D ground installation (more on that in a second) in Chicago and Dallas in celebration of the brand’s Polo shirt. The Deep Ellum mural was recently completed by local artist Steve Hunter, who was commissioned by Ralph Lauren to infuse a bit of the city into his interpretation of the brand.

Steve Hunter Dallas Polo Mural — Steve Hunter in the process of painting the Ralph Lauren Polo Dallas mural.

Inspired by Ralph Lauren’s summer collection of the Polo shirt, which includes men’s, women’s, and kid’s shirts in over 30 colors, Hunter used about the same amount of shades in his wall-to-wall painting. Another fun concept when visiting the mural is that it’s enabled with an augmented reality animation through Snapchat. What does this mean exactly? I guess you’ll have to just go and see. (I’m re-downloading my Snapchat app, which has lied dormant for the past couple years, as I write this.)

But the Ralph Lauren love isn’t confined just to Deep Ellum. Next week, from July 16 through July 20, Klyde Warren Park will host its own piece of Polo-inspired 3D ground art across from the Dallas Museum of Art. Then, in August, you’ll be able to purchase limited edition Polos (exclusively on the Polo app) inspired by each artist’s city mural. 100 percent of the proceeds from the Dallas polo will go towards Creative Arts Center of Dallas and its mission of creating community engagement programming for at-risk teen youth.

The Deep Ellum mural will only be on display through the end of July, so make sure to go check it out now.