Timeless Elegance

By applying modern design sensibilities to classic furniture lines, Ralph Lauren Home achieves an inimitable aura of enduring sophistication inspired by its founder’s passions rather than trends, writes Aaron de Silva

t makes sense that the chieftain of a luxury lifestyle empire gets inspiration from various aspects of the luxury lifestyle that he leads. We’re referring to Ralph Lauren, the 76-year-old founder of the US$12B brand that bears his name. For instance, Lauren’s love of supercars has influenced the design of many an item in his collection, be it a wristwatch, a lounge chair or a bed. The leather-clad interior of his 1955 Mercedes-benz 300SL Gullwing Coupe provided the starting point for a leather headboard, while his 1996 Mclaren F1 LM was the catalyst for the carbon-fibre construction of his RL-CF1 chair. And then there’s the Black Safari Flying Tourbillon, a timepiece with an elm burl wood dial that echoes the dashboard of his 1938 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic Coupe. “Everything I do comes from my life,” Lauren explains. “I am inspired by the places I travel to, the people I meet and often my own personal collections.” The Ralph Lauren Home collection, which was launched in the US in 1983 (and available in Singapore at Proof Living, 04-16 Ion Orchard), came about when Lauren and his wife Ricky were setting up their first home. “When my wife and I were creating our first home, we couldn’t find the things we were dreaming of, not just the colours and