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                UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                     FORM 4

                  STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

    Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
       Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or
               Section 30(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

[  ] Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5
     obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person*

   The Goldman Sachs Group, L.P.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (Last)                           (First)             (Middle)

   85 Broad Street
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                                    (Street)

   New York,                         NY                  10004
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   (City)                           (State)              (Zip)


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2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol

   Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation
   (RL)
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3. I.R.S. Identification Number of Reporting Person, if an entity (voluntary)


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4. Statement for Month/Year

   August/1998
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5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Year)


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6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
   (Check all applicable)

   [   ]   Director                             [ X ]   10% Owner
   [   ]   Officer (give title below)           [   ]   Other (specify below)



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7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

   [   ] Form filed by One Reporting Person
   [ X ] Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

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==================================================================================================================================== Table I -- Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, | or Beneficially Owned | ==================================================================================================================================== | | | | |6. | | | | | 4. |5. |Owner- | | | | | Securities Acquired (A) or |Amount of |ship | | | | 3. | Disposed of (D) |Securities |Form: |7. | | | Transaction| (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) |Beneficially |Direct |Nature of | |2. | Code | -------------------------------|Owned at End |(D) or |Indirect | 1. |Transaction | (Instr. 8) | | (A) | |of Month |Indirect |Beneficial| Title of Security |Date | -----------| Amount | or | Price |(Instr. 3 |(I) |Ownership | (Instr. 3) |(mm/dd/yy) | Code | V | | (D) | |and 4) |(Instr.4)|(Instr. 4)| - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | Class A Common Stock | 08/03/98 | P | | 2,000 | A | $27.25 | | 01 | 01 | - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | Class A Common Stock | 08/03/98 | S | | 2,000 | D | $27.125 | 01 | 01 | 01 | - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ====================================================================================================================================
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. * If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v). FORM 4 (continued)
==================================================================================================================================== Table II -- Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned | (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities) | ==================================================================================================================================== | | | | | | | |9. |10. | | | | | | | | | |Number |Owner-| | | | | | | | | |of |ship | | |2. | | | | | | |Deriv- |of | | |Conver- | | | 5. | |7. | |ative |Deriv-|11. | |sion | | | Number of | |Title and Amount | |Secur- |ative |Nature| |or | | | Derivative |6. |of Underlying |8. |ities |Secur-|of | |Exer- | |4. | Securities |Date |Securities |Price |Bene- |ity: |In- | |cise |3. |Trans-| Acquired (A) |Exercisable and |(Instr. 3 and 4) |of |ficially |Direct|direct| |Price |Trans- |action| or Disposed |Expiration Date |-----------------------|Deriv- |Owned |(D) or|Bene- | 1. |of |action |Code | of (D) |(Month/Day/Year) | |Amount |ative |at End |In- |ficial| Title of |Deriv- |Date |(Instr| (Instr. 3, |-----------------| |or |Secur- |of |direct|Owner-| Derivative |ative |(Month/ |8) | 4 and 5) |Date |Expira- | |Number |ity |Month |(I) |ship | Security |Secur- |Day/ |------| ------------ |Exer- |tion | |of |(Instr. |(Instr. |(Instr|(Instr| (Instr. 3) |ity |Year) |Code|V| (A) | (D) |cisable |Date |Title |Shares |5) |4) |4) |4) | - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Class C Common | | | | | | | | |Class A | | | | | | Stock | 02 | | | | | | 02 | 02 |Common Stock |02 and 03| | 03 | 03 | 03 | - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ====================================================================================================================================
Instruction 4(b)(v) list of other Reporting Persons: This statement is being filed by GS Capital Partners, L.P. ("GSCP"), Bridge Street Fund 1994, L.P. ("Bridge Street"), Stone Street Fund 1994, L.P. ("Stone Street"), Stone Street Funding Corp. ("Funding Corp."), GS Advisors, L.P. ("GS Advisors"), Goldman, Sachs & Co. ("Goldman Sachs") and The Goldman Sachs Group, L.P. ("GS Group", and together with GSCP, Bridge Street, Stone Street, Funding Corp., GS Advisors and Goldman Sachs, the "Reporting Persons"). The principal business address of each of Goldman Sachs, GS Group, GSCP, Bridge Street, Stone Street, Funding Corp. and GS Advisors is 85 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004. Explanation of Responses: 01: The shares of Class A Common Stock reported herein as purchased and sold were purchased and sold and may be deemed to have been beneficially owned directly by Goldman Sachs. Without admitting any legal obligation, Goldman Sachs will remit appropriate profits, if any, to the Company. GS Group is the general partner of and owns a 99% interest in Goldman Sachs. Goldman Sachs may be deemed to own beneficially and directly and GS Group may be deemed to own beneficially and indirectly 1,000 shares of Class A Common Stock. GS Group disclaims beneficial ownership of the securities reported herein except to the extent of its pecuniary interest therein. The Reporting Persons, other than GS Group and Goldman Sachs, disclaim beneficial ownership of the securities reported herein. 02: Shares of Class C Common Stock are convertible at any time at the option of the holder into an equal number of shares of Class A Common Stock. 03: Goldman Sachs and GS Group may be deemed to own beneficially and indirectly in the aggregate 22,720,979 shares of Class C Common Stock through GSCP, Bridge Street and Stone Street (collectively, the "Limited Partnerships") of which affiliates of Goldman Sachs and GS Group are the general partner or managing general partner. Goldman Sachs is the investment manager of GSCP. GS Group is the general partner of and owns a 99% interest in Goldman Sachs. Goldman Sachs and GS Group each disclaim beneficial ownership of the securities reported herein except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein. GSCP may be deemed to own beneficially and directly and its general partner, GS Advisors, may be deemed to own beneficially and indirectly 21,458,715 shares of Class C Common Stock. GS Advisors disclaims beneficial ownership of the securities reported herein except to the extent of its pecuniary interest in such securities. Bridge Street may be deemed to own beneficially and directly and its managing general partner, Funding Corp., may be deemed to own beneficially and indirectly 645,657 shares of Class C Common Stock. Funding Corp. disclaims beneficial ownership of the securities reported herein except to the extent of its pecuniary interest in such securities. Stone Street may be deemed to own beneficially and directly and its general partner, Funding Corp., may be deemed to own beneficially and indirectly 616,607 shares of Class C Common Stock. Funding Corp. disclaims beneficial ownership of the securities reported herein except to the extent of its pecuniary interest in such securities. Signatures: GS CAPITAL PARTNERS, L.P. By: s/ Hans-Linhard Reich --------------------------- Name: Hans-Linhard Reich Title: Attorney-in-fact GS ADVISORS, L.P. By: s/ Hans-Linhard Reich --------------------------- Name: Hans-Linhard Reich Title: Attorney-in-fact GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO. By: s/ Hans-Linhard Reich --------------------------- Name: Hans-Linhard Reich Title: Attorney-in-fact THE GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP, L.P. By: s/ Hans-Linhard Reich --------------------------- Name: Hans-Linhard Reich Title: Attorney-in-fact BRIDGE STREET FUND 1994, L.P. By: s/ Hans-Linhard Reich --------------------------- Name: Hans-Linhard Reich Title: Attorney-in-fact STONE STREET FUND 1994, L.P. By: s/ Hans-Linhard Reich --------------------------- Name: Hans-Linhard Reich Title: Attorney-in-fact STONE STREET FUNDING CORP. By: s/ Hans-Linhard Reich --------------------------- Name: Hans-Linhard Reich Title: Attorney-in-fact Date: September 10, 1998 ** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a). Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space provided is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedures. Alternatively, this Form is permitted to be submitted to the Commission in electronic format at the option of the reporting person pursuant to Rule 101(b)(4) of Regulation S-T.