The Story
Why it exists.
In 1978, Ralph Lauren launched Polo Green, a fragrance inspired by the raw strength of the polo player and the sights and sounds of a freshly cut green field. Designed by perfumer Carlos Benaim, the fragrance belongs to the Woody Chypre family, built on a foundation of leather, oakmoss, and tobacco. Its green, herbal top notes derive from artemisia, basil, and juniper, while the heart introduces pine needles and leather. The structure is unapologetically masculine and has remained virtually unchanged for nearly five decades.
If this were a song
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Baker Street
Gerry Rafferty
The Beginning
In 1978, Ralph Lauren launched Polo Green, a fragrance inspired by the raw strength of the polo player and the sights and sounds of a freshly cut green field. Designed by perfumer Carlos Benaim, the fragrance belongs to the Woody Chypre family, built on a foundation of leather, oakmoss, and tobacco. Its green, herbal top notes derive from artemisia, basil, and juniper, while the heart introduces pine needles and leather. The structure is unapologetically masculine and has remained virtually unchanged for nearly five decades.
What makes this composition remarkable is its unapologetic commitment to green and mossy materials at a time when the fragrance industry was shifting toward lighter, fresher directions. The combination of artemisia with caraway and coriander creates a bitter-spicy tension that few fragrances dare to sustain. The leather-tobacco base anchors everything in warmth and earthiness, while oakmoss provides the mossy depth that defines the entire structure. The result is a fragrance that smells complete from top to bottom, with no thin or underdeveloped phases.
The Evolution
The opening hits immediately with green herbs and citrus, commanding presence from the first spray. Within the first hour, pine needles and leather take over, replacing freshness with quiet authority. The jasmine and rose in the heart appear briefly before dissolving into the tobacco and oakmoss base. What surprises most is the drydown: oakmoss and vetiver dominate for hours, with tobacco as a warm amber undercurrent. On fabric, this fragrance lasts until the next wash. On skin, it projects strongly for the first four hours, then settles into a skin-hugging whisper that persists for ten hours or more.
Cultural Impact
Polo Green arrived at a crossroads in masculine fragrance history. The 1970s were ending, and men's scents were transitioning from citrus traditions toward something bolder. It introduced a signature blend of green herbs, spices, leather, and oakmoss that became the template for masculine sophistication. It spawned flankers and inspired fragrances that still echo its structure. Referenced in pop culture as shorthand for old money and confidence, it remains the benchmark against which new masculines are measured. Its enduring popularity is a testament to the original vision: create something that smells like the best version of tradition, and it will never go out of style.
The House
United States · Est. 1967
Ralph Lauren is the quintessential American luxury brand that transformed a $50,000 tie business into a global lifestyle empire. Founded in 1967 by Ralph Lifshitz, a Bronx-born son of Jewish immigrants, the house virtually invented the concept of 'lifestyle' branding. Their fragrance portfolio captures that same all-American spirit, from the rugged masculinity of Polo (1978) to the romantic elegance of Romance (1998). Each scent reflects Lauren's vision of timeless style, whether it is the preppy confidence of the original Polo or the modern sophistication of Ralph's Club. The brand licenses its fragrances through L'Oréal, bringing accessible luxury to a worldwide audience while maintaining that distinctive Ralph Lauren polish.
The Creator
Carlos BenaimRalph Lauren built an empire on the idea that style is permanent. Polo Green, launched in 1978, was the fragrance equivalent of a perfectly tailored blazer. It didn't follow trends. It set one. Carlos Benaim designed it to smell like confidence itself, not the idea of confidence. The name references the sporting tradition of polo, with all its rules, elegance, and unspoken hierarchies. Fifty years later, it still smells like the real thing.
If this were a song
Community picks
A slow burn that builds authority. Starts with clean green sharpness, evolves into warm leather and tobacco. The kind of track that doesn't demand attention but commands it. Baker Street sax fits perfectly.
Baker Street
Gerry Rafferty
