Up for sale is a rare, pristine vintage piece of Ralph Lauren archival history: an original 2002 Polo Ralph Lauren factory development sample shirt in unworn Deadstock condition (New Without Tags).
This piece features its original internal factory development sample card attached, complete with authentic technician markings—including a factory strike-through on the size block from the original fit-testing session. A must-have for vintage Polo collectors and archive fashion enthusiasts!
The oversized, handwritten paper tag is an internal factory tracking card.
"WSBJ": Stands for the sub-label/line "White Shirt, Blue Jean" (a internal line/concept under the Polo Ralph Lauren umbrella, also printed directly on the inner neck tag).
Date (16/08/02): Created August 16, 2002.
Development Sample Checkmark: Confirms this garment was produced specifically for fit evaluation, line presentation, or quality approval before mass production—not originally sold at retail.
Style No. 336 / Description "LONG L/S": Identifies the style number and long-sleeve cut.
Material: 100% Cotton Poplin (Ultra-smooth, lightweight, and soft hand-feel)
M&S at the bottom of development tag. This was made by/with Marks & Spencer's supply chain, who manufactured a lot of Polo in that era.
Tagged Size: XXL Long (Note: Factory sample card features an authentic strike-through on the XXL tag from sample review)
Actual Pit-to-Pit: 24" (48" total chest circumference—fits closer to a modern Large / XL)
Length: 35”
Sleeve: 27”
Pre-production sample pieces like this are rare finds and exceptional additions for Ralph Lauren collectors or vintage menswear enthusiasts.
Country of origin is not printed on the tag (typical for pre-production development sample pieces)