Page 1 of 10 Pages

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

                                 SCHEDULE 13G

                   Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                               (Amendment No. )*

                              POLO RALPH LAUREN CORP.
             -----------------------------------------------------
                                (Name of Issuer)

                                    CLASS A
             -----------------------------------------------------
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                   731572103
             -----------------------------------------------------
                                 (CUSIP Number)


Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this statement [ ].
(A fee is not required only if the filing person:  (1) has a previous statement
on file reporting beneficial ownership of more than five percent of the class of
securities described in Item 1; and (2) has filed no amendment subsequent
thereto reporting beneficial ownership of five percent or less of such class.)
(See Rule 13d-7.)

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities,
and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be
deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of
the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see
the Notes).



                                            Page 2 of 10 Pages

                  Schedule 13G (continued)

CUSIP No. 731572103
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   1   NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
       S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

       Baron Capital Group, Inc.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   2   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                                                             (a)  [X]
                                                             (b)  [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   3   SEC USE ONLY


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   4   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

       New York
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   NUMBER OF      5    SOLE VOTING POWER
     SHARES              200,000
  BENEFICIALLY    --------------------------------------------------------------
    OWNED BY      6    SHARED VOTING POWER
      EACH             4,406,700
   REPORTING      --------------------------------------------------------------
     PERSON       7    SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
      WITH               200,000
                  --------------------------------------------------------------
                  8    SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
                       4,406,700
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   9   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

       4,606,700
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  10   CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  11   PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)

       13.4%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  12   TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

       HC, CO
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT



                                            Page 3 of 10 Pages

                  Schedule 13G (continued)

CUSIP No. 731572103
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   1   NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
       S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

       BAMCO, Inc.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   2   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                                                             (a)  [X]
                                                             (b)  [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   3   SEC USE ONLY


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   4   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

       New York
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   NUMBER OF      5    SOLE VOTING POWER
     SHARES              
  BENEFICIALLY    --------------------------------------------------------------
    OWNED BY      6    SHARED VOTING POWER
      EACH             4,225,000
   REPORTING      --------------------------------------------------------------
     PERSON       7    SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
      WITH            
                  --------------------------------------------------------------
                  8    SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
                       4,225,000
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   9   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

       4,225,000
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  10   CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  11   PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)

       12.3%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  12   TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

       IA, CO
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT



                                            Page 4 of 10 Pages

                  Schedule 13G (continued)

CUSIP No. 731572103
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   1   NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
       S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

       Baron Capital Management, Inc.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   2   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                                                             (a)  [X]
                                                             (b)  [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   3   SEC USE ONLY


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   4   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

       New York
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   NUMBER OF      5    SOLE VOTING POWER
     SHARES            200,000
  BENEFICIALLY    --------------------------------------------------------------
    OWNED BY      6    SHARED VOTING POWER
      EACH             181,700
   REPORTING      --------------------------------------------------------------
     PERSON       7    SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
      WITH             200,000
                  --------------------------------------------------------------
                  8    SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
                       181,700
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   9   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

       381,700
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  10   CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  11   PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)

       1.1%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  12   TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

       IA, CO
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT



                                            Page 5 of 12 Pages

                 Schedule 13G (continued)

CUSIP No. 731572103 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   1   NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
       S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

       Baron Asset Fund
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   2   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                                                             (a)  [X]
                                                             (b)  [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   3   SEC USE ONLY


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   4   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

       Massachusetts
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   NUMBER OF      5    SOLE VOTING POWER
     SHARES              
  BENEFICIALLY    --------------------------------------------------------------
    OWNED BY      6    SHARED VOTING POWER
      EACH             4,075,000
   REPORTING      --------------------------------------------------------------
     PERSON       7    SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
      WITH             
                  --------------------------------------------------------------
                  8    SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
                       4,075,000
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   9   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

       4,075,000 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  10   CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  11   PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)

       11.9%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  12   TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

       IV, OO
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT


PAGE>
                                            Page 5 of 10 Pages

                  Schedule 13G (continued)

CUSIP No. 731572103
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   1   NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
       S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

       Ronald Baron
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   2   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                                                             (a)  [X]
                                                             (b)  [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   3   SEC USE ONLY


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   4   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

       USA
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   NUMBER OF      5    SOLE VOTING POWER
     SHARES              200,000
  BENEFICIALLY    --------------------------------------------------------------
    OWNED BY      6    SHARED VOTING POWER
      EACH             4,406,700
   REPORTING      --------------------------------------------------------------
     PERSON       7    SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
      WITH               200,000
                  --------------------------------------------------------------
                  8    SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
                       4,406,700
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   9   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

       4,606,400
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  10   CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  11   PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)

       13.4%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  12   TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

       HC, IN
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT



                                            Page 6 of 10 Pages

Item 1.

        (a)  Name of Issuer:
             Polo Ralph Lauren Corp.
        (b)  Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
             650 Madison Avenue
             New York, New York 10022

Item 2.

        (a)  Name of Persons Filing:
             Baron Capital Group, Inc. ("BCG")
             BAMCO, Inc. ("BAMCO")
             Baron Capital Management, Inc. ("BCM")
             Baron Asset Fund ("BAF")
             Ronald Baron
        (b)  Address of Principal Business Office:
               767 Fifth Avenue
               24th Floor
               New York, NY 10153
        (c)  Citizenship:
               BCG, BAMCO and BCM are New York corporations,
               BAF is a Massachusetts business trust,
               and Ronald Baron is a citizen of the United States.
        (d)  Title of Class Securities:
               Class A
        (e)  CUSIP Number: 
               731572103

Item 3.    PERSONS FILING

        BCG and Ronald Baron are:
              (g) Parent holding companies, in accordance with
                  Section 240.13d-1(b)(ii)(G)
        BAMCO and BCM are:
              (e) Investment Advisers registered under Section 203 of
                  the Investment Advisers Act of 1940
        BAF is:
              (d) Investment Company registered under Section 8 of the
                  Investment Company Act
        All persons filing are:
              (h) Group, in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F)





Item 4.    OWNERSHIP^

         (a) Amount Beneficially Owned as of January 31, 1998: 
               BCG:          4,606,700 shares
               BAMCO:        4,225,000 shares
               BCM:            381,700 shares
               BAF:          4,075,000 shares
               Ronald Baron: 4,606,700 shares

         (b) Percent of Class: 
               BCG:           13.4%
               BAMCO:         12.3%
               BCM:            1.1%
               BAF:           11.9%
               Ronald Baron:  13.4%


^BCG and Ronald Baron disclaim beneficial ownership of
 shares held by their controlled entities (or the investment
 advisory clients thereof) to the extent such shares are held
 by persons other than BCG and Ronald Baron.  BAMCO and
 BCM disclaim beneficial ownership of shares held by their
 investment advisory clients to the extent such shares are held
 by persons other than BAMCO, BCM and their affiliates.


                                                Page 7 of 10 Pages

          (c) Number of shares as to which such person has:

                (i)   sole power to vote or direct the vote:
                          BCG:            200,000
                          BAMCO:                0
                          BCM:            200,000
                          BAF:                  0
                          Ronald Baron:   200,000
                (ii)  shared power to vote or direct the vote:
                          BCG:          4,406,700
                          BAMCO:        4,225,000
                          BCM:            181,700
                          BAF:          4,075,000
                          Ronald Baron: 4,406,700
                (iii) sole power to dispose or to direct
                      the disposition of:*
                          BCG:            200,000
                          BAMCO:                0
                          BCM:            200,000
                          BAF:                  0
                          Ronald Baron:   200,000
                (iv)  shared power to dispose or direct 
                      the disposition of:*
                          BCG:          4,406,700
                          BAMCO:        4,225,000
                          BCM:            181,700
                          BAF:          4,075,000
                          Ronald Baron: 4,406,700

Item 5.  OWNERSHIP OF 5% OR LESS OF A CLASS
         Not applicable.
            
Item 6.  OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN 5% ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON
         The advisory clients of BAMCO and BCM have the right to receive
or the power to direct the receipt of dividends from, or the proceeds 
from the sale of, the Issuer's common stock in their accounts.  To the
best of the Filing Persons' knowledge, no such person has such interest
relating to more than 5% of the outstanding class of securities.

Item 7.  IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH
         ACQUIRED THE SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT
         HOLDING COMPANY

         BAMCO and BCM are subsidiaries of BCG.  BAF is an investment
         advisory client of BAMCO.  Ronald Baron owns a controlling
         interest in BCG.

Item 8.  IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP

         See Item 3.

* By virtue of investment advisory agreements with their respective
  clients, BAMCO and BCM have been given the discretion to dispose
  or the disposition of the securities in the advisory accounts.
  All such discretionary agreements, are however, revocable.

PAGE>
                                                 Page 8 of 10 Pages

Item 9.  NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP

         Not applicable.

Item 10. Certification

     By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge
and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired in the
ordinary course of business and were not acquired for the purpose
of and do not have the effect of changing or influencing the control
of the issuer of such securities and were not acquired in connection
with or as a participant in any transaction having such purposes or
effect.

Signature

   After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief,
I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true,
complete and correct.

  Date:  February 4, 1998

                        Baron Capital Group, Inc., BAMCO, Inc., 
                        Baron Capital Management, Inc., and
                        Baron Asset Fund
                        By:
 
                        /s/ Ronald Baron
                        _______________________________________
                            Ronald Baron, President


                        Ronald Baron, Individually

                        By:

                        /s/ Ronald Baron
                        _______________________________________
                            Ronald Baron


                                             Page 9 of 10 Pages


                    Joint Filing Agreement


    The undersigned each hereby agree that the Schedule 13G dated
February 4, 1998, which relates to the class A of Polo Ralph Lauren Corp., 
is to be filed jointly on behalf of each of them for the reasons stated 
therein, and any amendments thereto shall be filed jointly by the undersigned.

Dated:  February 4, 1998

                        Baron Capital Group, Inc., BAMCO, Inc., 
                        Baron Capital Management, Inc., and
                        Baron Asset Fund
                        By:
 
                        /s/ Ronald Baron
                        _______________________________________
                            Ronald Baron, President



                        Ronald Baron, Individually
                        By:

                        /s/ Ronald Baron
                        _______________________________________
                            Ronald Baron