Ralph...  Lippschitz?  I am not trying to be funny here... 

You should talk to John Brideshead or anyone who was wearing advanced casual during the 1980s.  What did it mean to them? 

This is England.  Well, the UK if you like.  But look at London. 

Now, though, try convincing your Average Joe the stuff's better without the One Trick Pony.

"But that's what I like about it", they'll tell you.

I always thought their shirts looked quite crisp and clean, so I wore them for work.  No problem.  They were a 'in reserve' item, just as Baggie are now.  They mean/meant nothing to me but the clothes upon my back.  There was, however, no sense of excitement: unlike with Brooks. 

Selling them to the Ivy nuts within the UK must have been a different proposition to selling to whoever within the US.  And don't anyone tell me that English Ivy League 'faces' never wore Ralph Lauren, unless you want an argument. 

Talk to Gibson Gardens about this.
I wouldn't be overly keen now, but their 30 year old plus polo shirts are rarely off my back during the summer.  You can take them into the garden when helping the missus, to the supermarket, wherever.  You just flinch a bit when you see others wearing some outsourced version of them.  Same with Lacoste.