Nacho Figueras, his wife, kids are model family to relaunch Ralph Lauren Romance

NEW YORK, N.Y. — Polo player Nacho Figueras was an accidental model for Ralph Lauren and his fragrance collection. The designer approached him after a chance meeting, and they hit it off.

Who would be a better spokesman for a brand long identified with the polo pony than a dashing, globetrotting polo player with longish wavy hair, even if he didn't have a fashion pedigree?

But in the years he's gotten comfortable in front of the camera, his family also has grown used to flashbulbs, makeup artists and publicists. So, in the ads to relaunch the brand's Romance perfume, his wife and three children got in on the act, too.

One big happy family, including the family dog, is captured in a series of photographs shot by Bruce Weber on the Figueras estate in Argentina.

"I always followed him as he worked and I always thought it looked exciting, and love working with him," says wife Delfina. (With her skinny jeans, tall boots and long blond hair, it's a wonder no one thought to have her model before.)

The shoot was so much fun — like having a few dozen guests for the weekend, Nacho, 34, says.

Wardrobing the clan took the most time, not that Delfina is complaining. She wore an elegant strapless evening gown bareback on a horse. "I've always wanted to ride in a dress, and there is a first time for everything."

Their six-year-old daughter remains gaga over the cowboy boots she wore with a girly, blush-coloured dress, Delfina reports.

The ads unfold almost as a fairy tale, which the Figuerases blissfully say they live. There are the mundane day-to-day logistics, but everything — even choosing the mustard in the grocery aisle — is a joint decision. There also is ribbing over Nacho's multitasking ability to watch soccer while doing anything else, and gentle disagreement on the story about how they first met, but, when it comes down to it, they say they are happiest when they are together.

"'Romance' is not just a fragrance to us. It's a strong word that we are committed to," Nacho says.

And, Delfina adds, Romance isn't even just any old perfume. The strong rosewater scent reminds her of her grandmother, and Nacho brought her roses often while they were courting.

"He pays attention to the little things — daily. A marriage is like a plant that you have to water every day, and he's very good at that."

The American audience should get used to seeing more of this duo — most likely together: Delfina hopes to do more modeling, and Nacho is the headliner at this year's celebrity-studded Veuve Clicquot Polo Classics to be held in New York on June 5 and Los Angeles on Oct. 9.

Copyright © 2011 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.