Luxury British lifestyle brand, Hurlingham Polo, has launched a striking new creative brand campaign for Winter 20 using a new stable of equine supermodels, each pictured in the brand’s stylish apparel in a series of elegantly framed, hand painted personal portraits.
All famed for being stellar polo ponies, they’ve been specially selected from the stables of Hurlingham Polo’s acclaimed brand ambassadors, some of the world’s top players, as a tribute to the skills, courage and style of both horses and riders in this famously tough, fast and furious ‘sport of kings’.
Featured models in the new campaign include ‘Basil’, the favourite mount of the world’s number one female polo player, Nina Clarkin, and ‘Elizabeth’ owned by the legendary Canadian polo maestro, Fred Mannix.
They’re joined by ‘Chekhov’ and the cheekily named ‘Sex’, ponies from the string of Gold Cup winner, and famously stylish, Charlie Hanbury, and will soon be accompanied by other well-known equine personalities from the strings of other professional polo players, including Ollie Cudmore and Hugo Taylor.
The new creative direction from the polo-inspired brand marks a strong step forward for the clothing label from the sport’s most international and prestigious governing body, the Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA).
Drawing inspiration from their long and fascinating heritage in polo, with its roots dating back to the founding of the sport in 1875, the brand’s creative work reflects the bold new design ethos also seen in the new Winter 20 collection, reflecting the culture and style of polo, bringing together British traditions in sport, art –Stubbs, Reynolds and Gainsborough – and classic fashion – ‘le style anglais’.
Simon Hawkins, CEO of Hurlingham Polo, comments: “For the new brand campaign, we wanted to fully embrace all that makes Hurlingham Polo original and unique. We wanted a visual execution that encompassed the fusion of polo, art and fashion that is inherent in our brand, as well as the pioneering spirit of our heritage.
“The challenge was to create something relevant, exciting and authentic, but that also showcased the new Winter 20 Collection, and that could be created in the midst of the Covid-19 induced restrictions. And that also turned heads and was a little bit of fun, hinting at British eccentricity and humour.
“The solution was to use Polo ponies and traditional artistic techniques, to create a series of portraits as if we had just visited the National Portrait Gallery or a British stately home.”
Hawkins says it’s about catching the eye of the discerning customer, one who is redefining luxury: “Our consumer is at the heart of what we do; we are bringing them something that is stylish and authentic, with both our new clothing collections and our latest brand campaign.
“Hurlingham Polo is a lifestyle brand with integrity at its heart that is timeless yet modern, and still with British heritage at its core. This is what sets it apart from the other polo brands in the market, it’s what makes us different.
“Our DNA derives from the sport of polo, but we pride ourselves on pushing the boundaries in creativity and design, embracing innovation and creating a premium brand that customers can trust.
“We are clear on the brand direction; appealing to an increasingly demanding customer means keeping current, yet maintaining integrity. As we develop our creative direction, we are using our brand’s history to create authentic pieces which speak to the new luxe shopper.”