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Josh Cavallo is the face of Ralph Lauren’s new sports polo shirt

The world's only out gay top-tier footballer models the RLX Clarus® Polo.

By Alastair James

Words: Alastair James; pictures: Ralph Lauren

Josh Cavallo, the world’s only openly gay top-tier footballer, is proving he’s more than a model in an inspirational sense but a fashion model as well as he wears Ralph Lauren’s latest shirt, the RLX Clarus® Polo.

Unveiling the design exclusively at the Australian Open 2022 the fashion brand’s latest product is made of the world’s first cotton-based performance material.

Ralph Lauren is hosting an exhibition tennis clinic during the tournament with tennis legend, Sam Groth alongside Cavallo, who’s an avid tennis fan. The pair will showcase how the shirt performs in the Australian summer heat.

“They’re a classic brand with incredible style”

“I’ve been a longtime fan of Ralph Lauren – they’re a classic brand with incredible style and are always pushing boundaries to make really innovative, new products,” says Cavallo. “

He adds, “As a professional athlete who trains every day, it’s incredible to be able to wear a 100 percent cotton shirt that is stylish, has superior performance qualities, and keeps me comfortable even on the hottest of days – all made with a sustainable spirit.”

The brand’s Chief Branding and Innovation Officer, David Lauren, says of the new innovative design and material that “Ralph Lauren is known for timelessness – and for more than 50 years being timeless has meant both leaning into our heritage and fostering pioneering innovation.”

Describing the RLX Clarus® Polo Shirt as the brand’s “most iconic product”, Lauren says it is being used “as a canvas to launch an industry-changing and scalable textile technology” made from natural fibers.

Made with the world’s first high-performance cotton fabric, the polo utilizes a first-to-market patented platform to transform virgin and recycled cotton in ways that were never before possible. Cotton fibers are enhanced with high-performance attributes, like quick-drying and moisture management, while remaining comfortable and breathable.

The textile innovation was developed by Natural Fiber Welding, Inc., a leading sustainable material science startup, and performs similarly to plastic-based synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon that rely on petroleum-based fossil fuels.

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