I Created The Perfect Polo!
Blake Beckelman
Energy Innovation & Product Development | Founder @ Marinas & Martinis | MBA
The Perfect Polo for Dinner at 4 Charles Prime Rib, The Perfect Polo for Martinis at the Ritz, The Perfect Polo for an evening Glass of Bordeaux while enjoying the Sunset at Alys Beach… The Perfect Luxury Polo.
A year ago, on our delayed honeymoon, the idea for this polo was born. We were sailing from Monaco to Saint Tropez, set to head to our reservation at S.E.A., the Ritz Carlton Yacht's Michelin star concept restaurant, and I couldn't quite find the shirt to wear. I had nice button-downs that just weren't the level of comfort I sought after four days of all-inclusive indulgence, and my average performance polos didn't feel elevated enough for the experience. I wanted an incredibly comfortable polo with elegance and elevation to look great for even the most extravagant experiences.
So, I set out to create my ideal polo—a shirt that combines innovative fabrics with vibrant colors, capturing the essence of fun and luxury in every thread.
The Fabric
The journey started with fabric. Natural fibers came to mind first—specifically, the world's finest cotton: Pima Cotton. Lightweight, durable, and soft, Pima Cotton seemed ideal. However, it has drawbacks: heaviness when wet, limited stretch, and susceptibility to wrinkles. To counterbalance these, I incorporated a touch of performance material, making the blend ultra-lightweight, super soft to the touch, and able to stretch with all the movements and contours of your body. The result culminates in the seamless combination of the best features from both worlds, the elevation of natural fibers, and the capability of performance fabric.
The Design
Once the fabric was in hand, it was time to design. It needed to be fun yet understated, classic yet modern, a design you are excited to wear while representing your refinement and class. I decided on a classic approach with a contemporary twist. Our embroidered logo sits elegantly on the chest plate, with vibrant colors as an accompanying backdrop, perfectly pairing an homage to classic polo shirts of the past with the excitement of modern life. A design that makes you feel confident and refined when ordering for the table from an obscenely large wine list and energized when enjoying a cocktail at the club after a long day of tennis.
The Colors
The next frontier was choosing the colors that best represented the fun I wanted the design to inspire. I wanted the polo to represent that burst of energy you get on the first day of Spring after the cold of winter finally breaks. That feeling I had when I lived in NYC, and the city seemed to come alive on the first Saturday when the temperature ascended past 60 degrees, and everybody was racing to enjoy rosé and cocktails at a rooftop bar or waterfront restaurant.
The first color that came to mind was a soft yellow, which captures the joy that accompanies sipping a fruit-forward cocktail on a warm, sunny day.
Next, a floral green that captures the season's colors, bright, bold, and beautiful, like the spring flowers that burst forward after a winter in hibernation.
To round out the group, a navy that reflects the color of the ocean as you set course on an evening sail to enjoy the bay breeze and calm seas while enjoying the sunset.
With these elements combined, I believe I have crafted the perfect polo—a polo that embodies the spirit of enjoying the luxuries the world has to offer, a polo that pairs with some of my favorite Epicurean experiences.
Such as a flawlessly selected sip of sommelier-chosen wine at the Blue Room
sipping an ice-cold dirty martini at Le café.
or enjoying a world-class dinner at S.E.A.
With that, I introduce the newest iteration of Marinas & Martinis, featuring The Yacht Polo!
-Blake