The Dark Side of the Polo Industry
- Sep 19
- 3 min read
Since the modern era of the sport began, there has always been a clear separation between the rustic style of the players and the glamour of the tournament spectators. The elite polo players of that time were men of the land, with a simple demeanor but an exceptional connection to their horses. Everything was more down-to-earth, a stark contrast to the profile of the audience, especially in a pre-internet era when polo was an event reserved for the highest social circles.
Until the mid-1990s, it wasn't unusual to see players smoking between chukkers. Nor was attire a priority: boots and knee guards came in shades of brown, like the classic color of ropes or raw leather, evoking the landscape of the Argentine pampas. The jerseys were part of that relaxed look: one-size-fits-all, made from non-technical materials, with designs that had little to do with high performance.
Over time, cigarettes gave way to specialized training, kinesiologists, sports doctors, and dietitians. Welcome to high-competition polo, where not only the horses are athletes, but so are the riders.
Despite the sport's growing popularity—thanks in part to technology—elegance in its protagonists' attire remained a pending issue. That’s when Ignacio "Nacho" Figueras burst onto the world's most important runways, taking polo to fashion magazines with his campaigns for Ralph Lauren. An undisputed pioneer.
Brands like La Martina began to focus on the polo universe, but the spark of design on the field had yet to ignite. Players didn't see the potential style could have for the business. Until one detail changed everything: black. The color of sophistication, the one that never fails, the one that is always chic. And so, the brown that had dominated the fields for decades was left behind.
The idea was simple yet revolutionary: to dress a polo team in black tie. Like putting them in tuxedos for a gala, but on horseback and at a full gallop. The man behind it was Federico Álvarez Castillo, an Argentine fashion entrepreneur who, by the mid-90s, had nothing to do with polo.
Legend has it that Álvarez Castillo—the creator of some of Argentina's most iconic brands—proposed to Gonzalo Pieres, the mentor of Ellerstina and father of three star players, to dress the team and even the horses entirely in black. Ropes, saddles, boots, helmets… all dyed the most elegant color. Today, it seems normal to see black boots and tack on any field in the world; no one remembers the old brown. But at the time, the idea sparked an aesthetic revolution that opened the doors to new product lines and collections based on dark leather.
Of course, not everything went perfectly at first. Facundo Pieres, an Ellerstina player at the time, recalls that during a match in the Palermo Open, there was confusion among players as they all wore black helmets. The chaos was momentary but enough to later introduce helmets of different colors. The tradition of dark leather, however, had already been born.
Federico Álvarez Castillo continued to support Ellerstina, and his flagship brand, the refined Etiqueta Negra, became the team's main sponsor during the 2009 Argentine Triple Crown of Polo. The team even used the brand's facilities for season presentations. Facundo Pieres has stated on multiple occasions that thanks to Álvarez Castillo, he developed his knowledge and passion for fashion. Today, he is a shareholder of Etiqueta Negra.
The brand has featured images of Facundo and his cousin, Polito Pieres, in seasonal campaigns, supported youth tournaments, and even formed a children's polo team in Argentina. Etiqueta Negra's polo clothing division is present at tournaments worldwide.
Today, many teams and brands have ventured into fashion, including the award-winning La Dolfina. According to Mercado Libre data, the iconic Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra City jersey is the best-selling and highest-rated among buyers, followed by the classic red and white Marlboro jersey of Indios Chapaleufú and the Adolfo Cambiaso jersey for La Dolfina.
Álvarez Castillo, who came from a humble background and possessed a global mind for innovation, stated in an interview with ClickPolo that polo should learn strategies from Formula 1 and the America's Cup to increase its revenue and establish itself in the mainstream. “Brands must enter polo. It is ridiculous that a team cannot be named after a brand; funding must come from the private sector,” he emphasized. And he illustrated: “The market value of F1 in the 50s was similar to that of polo. Today, polo is worth $0 and F1 exceeds $25 billion.”
His ideas, such as building a big car parking under the Palermo stadium to diversify income, have generated controversy, but also admiration.
Álvarez Castillo's skill transcends fashion: he is responsible for buildings in the exclusive Punta del Este and owns one of the most prestigious collections of classic cars in Latin America.
