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Ralph Lauren’s Polo Bear Makes Big-Screen Debut in Animated Short Film

The six-minute feature, The Polo Bear Chronicles: Operation Black Tie, centers around an art heist in the Hamptons

By Alexandria Sillo
Bear in a suit covering eyes with hands, seated outdoors with trees and a vintage car in the background.
A still from The Polo Bear Chronicles: Operation Black Tie. Photo: Courtesy of Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren’s iconic plush Polo Bear has found himself in a dapper new role, as he stars in the brand’s first-ever animated short film centered around an art heist. Polo Bear, and his trusty pigeon sidekick, star in The Polo Bear Chronicles: Operation Black Tie, where viewers will watch the debonair pair attempt to solve a mystery unfolding among swanky galas and perfectly chilled martinis.

“In a quiet Manhattan townhouse where the jazz is smooth, the tailoring sharper than a switchblade, lives one gentle bear with a taste for the finer things, with his unlikely sidekick, a streetwise pigeon,” the narrator booms in the film’s trailer. “They’re about to pull off the most refined art recovery of the century. From brownstone to beach house, polo game to gala, they’ll outwit socialites and security alike, all without saying a word. Because when the lights go out and the art goes missing, there’s only one name on everyone’s lips: Polo Bear.”  

Teddy bear in sunglasses and suit stands in a modern living room with blue artwork and white seashells.
A still from The Polo Bear Chronicles: Operation Black Tie. Photo: Courtesy of Ralph Lauren
Cuddly teddy bear gazing at ocean from elegant seaside porch with white curtains and cozy blue-striped cushions.
A still from The Polo Bear Chronicles: Operation Black Tie. Photo: Courtesy of Ralph Lauren
Bear driving a convertible down a driveway by a beach house surrounded by trees and flowers.
A still from The Polo Bear Chronicles: Operation Black Tie. Photo: Courtesy of Ralph Lauren
Bear wearing sunglasses and a blue sweater driving a vintage red convertible in an urban setting.
A still from The Polo Bear Chronicles: Operation Black Tie. Photo: Courtesy of Ralph Lauren
Stuffed animal sits on bench in art gallery viewing paintings with wine and water bottle on floor.
A still from The Polo Bear Chronicles: Operation Black Tie. Photo: Courtesy of Ralph Lauren
Teddy bear in a tuxedo flying through a dimly lit room with a full moon visible outside and laser beams in the background.
A still from The Polo Bear Chronicles: Operation Black Tie. Photo: Courtesy of Ralph Lauren
A teddy bear wearing round glasses and a tuxedo stands in a dimly lit room with statues in the background.
A still from The Polo Bear Chronicles: Operation Black Tie. Photo: Courtesy of Ralph Lauren

The six-minute film, debuting on YouTube August 14, marks a new chapter in storytelling for Ralph Lauren, which also featured Polo Bear in an interactive holiday window installation last fall. “For decades, the Polo Bear has served as a canvas for creative innovation, gracing everything from childhood bedding to iconic sweater collections, skateboard decks, timepieces and prestigious sport partnerships,” the brand said in a statement. “From pinstripe suits to fishing gear, from flag sweaters to western wear, the Polo Bear has become Ralph Lauren’s most cherished ambassador, embodying every facet of the brand’s lifestyle vision, proving himself to be the world’s most versatile and best-dressed fashion icon.”