Bentley Polo Championships

Overview: This mixed Media art piece “Hired Assassin” was created for Neiman Marcus in collaboration with The Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships. The goal was to create a unique piece to capture the art of polo, combining accessories from the game and elements that captured the culture of luxury that accompanies the sport. 

Story: The pointed references to the sport and the culture that surrounds it resonated within the polo community, drawing attention and praise from famed player Nacho Figueras among other professional players. Shanna was inspired to create an art piece that elevates the luxurious materials used within the game of polo fused with traditional art materials. The beautiful polo mallet includes a Tipa wood head and cane body created by Tato’s. In addition, Shanna used Tato’s polo balls and decorated them with multi-colored Ralph Lauren inspired iconic Polo logos. The center of the piece is combined with an authentic Ralph Lauren leather d-ring belt to show how structural and architectural fashion accessories can be. The polo mallet has silver resin and acrylic paint dripping to signify the shining win from a “hired assassin.” A “hired assassin” in polo means a professional player or high scoring player. The mallet handle is adorned with silver studs to show the boldness of the player in the game. All elements are set on a custom built, purple velvet frame. This piece is one-of-a-kind.

Impact: Neiman Marcus created a specific area in their store to display the piece, creating a long-term statement showing sports, luxury and fashion are a desirable and exciting combination.