The Durham chaise.
Photo: BJÖRN WALLANDER
Ralph Lauren’s Latest Furniture Pieces Honor His Love of Cars
A new home collection flawlessly captures the spirit of one of the designer’s most personal passions
Ralph Lauren with his 1957 Jaguar XKSS. Photo: BRUCE WEBER; COURTESY OF RALPH LAUREN
Since Ralph Lauren was a child, he’s had a fascination with cars. Over the years, he’s built that obsession into a world-class assemblage of rare autos that represent the best in both aesthetics and engineering. Now the style icon has channeled this passion into a new collection for Ralph Lauren Home called Modern Driver.
This extraordinary, robust introduction, which is made in Italy, features an array of timeless furnishings that reflect some of the details that make each of his marques so unique. “The lines, curves, vents, and fittings all serve a particular purpose and were built to last,” says Lauren of his fleet. “Their beauty and craftsmanship are exceptional and a great source of inspiration.”
His 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL gull wing coupe. Photo: MICHAEL FURMAN
Among Lauren’s coveted treasures are a 1938 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic coupe, a 1929 Blower Bentley, and a 1955 Mercedes Benz 300 SL gull wing coupe, and elements of their enduring beauty and sleek glamour are woven into the Modern Driver home pieces. “The rich materials used throughout the collection—mahogany, burl wood, polished steel, carbon fiber, and rosewood—complement the modern forms of the furniture beautifully,” says Lauren. For example, the Durham chaise’s frame is fashioned from polished stainless steel and burnished saddle leather, while luxurious charcoal Italian wool, buckle hardware, and leather piping lend a sartorial touch.
The Modern Driver collection by Ralph Lauren Home features the RL-CF1 chair, which exquisitely combines a cantilevered frame with burnished saddle leather. Photo: BJÖRN WALLANDER
“The rich materials used throughout the collection complement the modern forms of the furniture beautifully”
Ralph Lauren
The Turner Nesting Tables and Aldrich Round Cocktail Table from Ralph Lauren's Modern Driver collection. Photo: BJÖRN WALLANDER
Detail of Ralph Lauren's Turner Nesting Tables. Photo: BJÖRN WALLANDER
Many of these sumptuous materials already feel synonymous with the brand ethos, yet one element of performance automotive design comes as an unexpected crossover: carbon tissue fiber. The sculptural RL-CF1 chair has been reimagined for this collection with a structure composed of 71 layers of carbon tissue fiber, which is used to craft aeronautics and cars such as Lauren’s McLaren F1. “The CF1 is a technological feat with layers and layers of carbon tissue laid by hand to form a cantilevered frame that is lightweight yet incredibly strong,” says Lauren. “Just like the race car, it is a timeless classic.”
A detail of the RL-CF1 side table. Photo: BJÖRN WALLANDER
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2024 Winter Issue under the headline “Driving Force.” Subscribe to the magazine.
Cover: The Durham chaise.
Photo: BJÖRN WALLANDER
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