I’ve been sustaining this weblog for a few years, now, and it’s always arduous to tell in the event you’ve really “made it.” I’ve interviewed some superior people over time, nevertheless as we communicate, I really had a chance to speak to a dwelling legend, and a personal idol of mine. This man has been spherical for ages, and whereas he’s been on digital digicam for longer than I’ve been alive, he’s not at all given an interview sooner than.
We met in his Westchester residence on a crisp autumn evening time, clear nevertheless for a waxing gibbous moon. He appeared as cosy in his improbable dressing gown, shirt, tie, trousers, and slippers as he was in his private fur.
With out extra adieu, I’d desire to present my interview with Andrew Hammond Steiff, additionally known as the Polo Bear.
The Polo Bear: In His Private Pattern
It type of occurred
Daniel Hakimi: So, Mr. Steiff. Andrew. I do know you need no introduction, nevertheless let’s merely fake that just a few of our readers have no idea who you are. Who’re you?
Andrew Hammond Steiff (hereinafter “PB“): Successfully, my determine is Andrew Hammond Steiff. My paternal grandfather was Richard Steiff, well-known toymaker. I’ve been a model since 1963—once more as soon as I used to be solely a cub—and whereas I labored with many principal producers, along with Ralph Lauren, and I was really very worthwhile, for a while, nevertheless you largely know me now, actually, as a result of the Polo Bear.
DH: Inform me the way in which you landed in that perform.
PB: Successfully, Ralph Lauren had been using a complete lot of fashions by the 80s, and naturally, everybody is aware of them for world establishing, nevertheless… some time inside the early 90s, I dressed up as Jerry Lauren for a… Halloween Celebration, Purim get collectively, irrespective of it was. So one issue ends in one different, they often decided they wanted to launch this new advertising marketing campaign. They started putting me in an rising variety of commercials, provided 200 stuffed “Preppy Bears” in my likeness—critically, these points appeared merely like me—they put out sweaters knit to seem like my conventional pictures… It type of occurred , the place I principally turned a model-in-residence for the mannequin, and I gotta let you realize, I’ve not at all appeared once more.
I actually like the clothes.
DH: Wow. Can I ask why you made the transition? I suggest, you really did successfully to your self inside the 70s, didn’t you date Twi—
PB: Hey, we’re in a position to get to that later. Nevertheless yeah, I was… I was about 34 on the time, and pondering, successfully, modeling is a youthful bear’s recreation, and most bears don’t even make it earlier 20. So I was considering retirement, nevertheless I nonetheless preferred it, so it was a bit little little bit of serendipity—I found a process the place I’d spend most of my time in New York, not have to stress the place my subsequent gig was coming from, and, successfully… they decrease me in on the product sales, so I’ve been, …
DH: Yeah, I can take into consideration. Alright, let’s communicate in regards to the modeling. What do you are eager on about it?
PB: Successfully, clearly, the lifestyle was pleasant. I preferred meeting new people. I have no idea, I grew up doing it, so it’s always arduous to test to something. Nevertheless I actually like the clothes. I actually like tartans, I actually like sportswear, I actually like a navy blazer, I actually like ties, I actually like loafers, and I really always love eveningwear shoot.
DH: In reality! So numerous my favorite old-school eveningwear appears to be are you in a tux, you in tartan trousers, you in… irrespective of, nevertheless inform me about it, did any shoots really persist with you?
PB: Successfully, certain, I always appreciated, , these crested velvet slippers. Successfully, actually, these crested velvet slippers, I’m carrying a pair now, hah. Ralph put me in a tux, with a pair of slippers, a well-proportioned bowtie, a crimson carnation in my lapel—
DH: Oh, I do know the one. You’re holding a martini.
PB: Certain, successfully…
The Polo Bear Restarts the Fantasy
DH: You drink them fairly a bit, huh? Do you might have a recipe you want?
PB: Successfully, for a while, I merely went with a Vesper martini. Nevertheless then, inside the 80s, they stopped making Kina Lilet, and I wasn’t sure what else to do. I tried a few completely different variations. I tried Lillet Blanc, the [Polo] bar nonetheless makes use of that… I was consuming Gibsons eventually, that was a weird time. Nevertheless I didn’t really resolve on one thing until I met, actually, it was Tyson Beckford.
DH: Oh?
PB: Certain, so, he launched sarsaparilla to a shoot in some unspecified time in the future, and, I have no idea what it is, I preferred it. I started searching for additional. And eventually, one different buddy talked about that they made sarsaparilla bitters. So I carried out spherical a bit, and landed on a fairly conventional recipe. 4 elements gin, one half dry vermouth, and two dashes of sarsaparilla bitters. Stirred, on account of I’m not a lightweight. And naturally, an olive.
DH: Huh. Sarsaparilla bitters. I’d prefer to attempt that some time.
PB: Really, I’ve some out there, I’d make you—
DH: Truly? Oh, for sure, let’s do this.
It was proper right here that Andrew and I paused the recording whereas he made me a martini… after which one different.
That Polo Bear Feeling
DH: What was it like in the event you first blew up inside the ’70s? Might want to have been crazy, correct?
PB: Oh, I don’t like to talk an extreme quantity of about—
DH: Awww, come on, give us one quick story.
PB: Alright, alright, successfully I do have… So, I gave Fozzie [Bear] his start, correct?
DH: Really, I didn’t know that.
PB: Yeah, yeah, youngster from my residence metropolis, we carried out ball within the equivalent park. Really, I really feel his mother, Emily, used to babysit me. So, anyway, he calls me up, says he is attempting to make it in Hollywood, poor youngster doesn’t have any precise experience on the time, nevertheless I make some introductions, he’ll get his gig on the Muppet Current. And he wishes to pay me once more, so he flies me out to Hollywood. And who lives a bit north of there? Smokey.
DH: Smokey Robinson, or—
PB: Bear.
DH: Gotcha.
PB: Yeah, so we’re all out to this get collectively, and, successfully, Smokey doesn’t smoke. It’s in his contract. He doesn’t really drink each, actually. Nevertheless he is not exactly straight edge, he has his vices. So one issue ends in one different, we had some vigorous pleasant… , it was Hollywood inside the ’70s.
DH: are you saying…
PB: That’s the evening time Fozzie coined the time interval “wokka wokka.”
DH: Wow, that line is certainly type of humorous, now that I do know the place it obtained right here from…
PB: Yeah.
The Polo Bear Is conscious of Everyone Must be The Polo Bear
There’s not that quite a bit to tell, really.
DH: Alright, so that you simply suggested me we’d talk about this later. The Dame Lesley Lawson. I’m suggested you dated for a few—
PB: Oh, I don’t want to debate this, a gentleman doesn’t kiss and—
DH: People are dying to take heed to solely a little bit.
PB: There’s not that quite a bit to tell, really. Yeah, okay, Twiggy and I dated for a bit. I have no idea whenever you may even identify it that, now we have been every touring quite a bit on the time, mounted shoots, . If now we have been within the equivalent metropolis, I’d identify her resort, we’d uncover some time, attempt some new restaurant. Nevertheless we not at all spent too prolonged within the equivalent metropolis, and it merely type of… You acknowledge, nothing obtained right here of it. She’s a stupendous lady. We nonetheless be in contact. Really, I seen her the ultimate time I wore white tie. That was evening time. And that’s all I’m going to say about her.
DH: That’s tons, thanks.
Alright, so one remaining question: what’s subsequent for the Polo Bear?
PB: I’m an earlier bear. I’m going to carry popping my head up proper right here and there, nevertheless I’ve expert quite a bit… All individuals wishes to be me, and I do realize it, and it will be weird to have ambitions at the moment. I’m glad to easily spend time at residence, with my family and take points simple in my semi-retirement.
DH: You may have earned it!
I hae to say, this has been an honor. I really hope my readers have liked this as quite a bit as I did, and have gotten to know the bear behind the bear. Thanks, really!
PB: It was my pleasure. Thanks for having me.
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