RALPH Lauren Fragrances knocked it out of the park.
In a major-league move, the company has signed New York Yankees team captain Aaron Judge as the face of “Polo Est. 67” eau de toilette, its sporty new scent. The 6-foot-7 outfielder is a five-time Major League Baseball All-Star, record-breaking slugger and one of the best all-around players in the bigs.
“Growing up in the Bronx, I loved playing baseball in our neighborhood with my friends and going to the games,” Ralph Lauren, executive chairman and chief creative officer, tells Alexa. “The players were my heroes. Their commitment to do their best on the playing field and in life is something that has inspired my love of America’s national pastime then and now.”
Judge, meanwhile, says sports and fragrance go hand in hand.
“There’s a unique connection between the two because they’re both sensorial experiences that are filled with emotion,” the 31-year-old power hitter tells Alexa. “In sports, whether you’re on the field or in the stands, there’s this electric energy and adrenaline. Fragrance, on the other hand, has a unique ability to transport you to a specific moment in time, which can be equally powerful and emotional,” adds the superstar, who blasted 62 homers in 2022 to become the American League’s single-season leader.
The new fragrance — a woody, citrus blend of bergamot and vetiver with a sweet pineapple accord — soars into stores today. The new entry joins Lauren’s cult Polo Sport franchise; Number 67 references the year he founded his iconic fashion house. Its refillable bottle is crisp navy-blue and white, like Yankees uniforms.
Lauren, in fact, has worn one of those. In 2018, he donned pinstripes to throw the ceremonial first pitch against the Boston Red Sox, the club’s fiercest rival. He trained for weeks and even got pitching pointers from former Yanks ace David Cone, who famously hurled a perfect game in 1999.
With Opening Day coming up on March 28, Judge is also hard at work in spring training. The “Design Your Dreams” TV commercial for the scent shows him practicing his at-bats. In an empty stadium, he swings for the fences wearing Lauren’s classic fit T-shirt, “Varick” jeans and chino ball cap.
“When greatness calls, you answer,” says Judge in a voiceover. “Don’t give up. Level up. Own the moment.”
He connects several times and then … it’s outta here!