PRL x TÓPA Polo Bears Sweater

Presenting Polo Ralph Lauren x TÓPA, a continuing collaboration of the Ralph Lauren Artist in Residence program, reflecting our evolved design approach with the artisans and communities that inspire us. This collection features the artistry of wife-and-husband duo Jocy and Trae Little Sky—founders of the clothing brand TÓPA and proud members of the Oceti Sakowin (People of Seven Council Fires); Jocy is of Dakota and Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nations (MHA/Dakota), and Trae is Oglala Lakota and Stoney Nakoda. Their creations merge modern silhouettes with distinctive Indigenous cultural elements to honor and preserve ancestral traditions while reflecting the beauty and vibrancy of their Northern Plains heritage. The name TÓPA, meaning “four” in the languages of the Oceti Sakowin, symbolizes the four directions, four seasons, four stages of life, and four meaningful colors. This unisex sweater features our beloved Polo Bears wearing jackets and footwear from this collection. In addition to fringed details, it is embellished with glass beads and embroidery for tactile dimension. One of the bear outfits is inspired by a ribbon skirt in Jocy’s personal wardrobe that she handmade. An evolution of traditional dressmaking, ribbon skirts were traditionally made and worn by Indigenous women for ceremony, celebration, and everyday attire, as a showcase of their craftsmanship, with stacking ribbon reflective of their finest work.