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Ralph Lauren’s Garage

Posted by 141drew Posted onMar 1, 2013 at 1:07 PM and filed under Featured Spaces


I’ve seen these incredibly glossy photos of Ralph Lauren’s car collection before, however I always thought they were taken at some important museum somewhere… I never had an inkling that this setting was actually Ralph’s garage, but it is. And as far as “show room” garages go, this might be the absolute ultimate in design and finish.

Admittedly, I’m not a “show room” garage type of guy. I like functional work spaces… But I love the idea that there are guys out there that have the means to put something like this together. Good for Ralph… and even better for his amazing collection.

[gallery link="file"]

 


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richfinn

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Re: Ralph Lauren\'s Garage

Are you having a mid life crisis Ryan? thats 2 Ferrari stories in a row. You must be getting in touch with your European side or something :)

ps: I enjoyed both of them.
 
M

Mr. Tool

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Re: Ralph Lauren\'s Garage

Heck, that's a "Garage / Showcase / Museum" all rolled into one! :eyecrazy:
 
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4xdog

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Re: Ralph Lauren\'s Garage

There was an exhibition of some cars from the RL collection in Paris mid 2011 at the Louvre's Musée des Arts Décoratifs (Museum of Decorative Arts). It was amazing.

They didn't allow photography, but here's a video. Turn down the volume to avoid the annoying tinkly piano.

The guy has a nice garage, and an even nicer collection of cars!
 
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Ryan

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Re: Ralph Lauren\'s Garage

richfinn said:
Are you having a mid life crisis Ryan? thats 2 Ferrari stories in a row. You must be getting in touch with your European side or something :)

ps: I enjoyed both of them.
Click to expand...

Ha. I've always been a huge admirer of Ferrari... The man, the company, and the cars... It's a great story.

Of course, I also have a thing for Porsche.

I'm just a car guy. I love em all.

........

Do those light fixtures not blow your mind? They do mine...
 
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luvit

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Re: Ralph Lauren\'s Garage

That's very interesting how it is showcased from the glamour/fashion apparel type.
 
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lorne

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Re: Ralph Lauren\'s Garage

That is a very similar layout/display to how they were presented at the MFA in Boston when they had the show here.
 
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csp

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Re: Ralph Lauren\'s Garage

We've seen his Bugatti Veyron a few times driving between Telluride and Ridgway, where he has a ranch here in Colorado.
 
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Ryan

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Re: Ralph Lauren\'s Garage

Weird story, but I spent years trying to find a specific fabric for the interior of my model-a coupe. It was originally found on a sears bought seat cover from the late 1940's... I traced the textiles made by the sears manufacturer up until the early 1980s when all of the textiles were bought by a company that is owned by one of Ralph's companies.

So, I took a blind *** shot of what I thought Ralph's email would be. I missed but some tech guy at ralphlauren.com made sure my email got the right guy. Ralph replied and asked for a shot of the fabric. I sent it to him and four weeks later, 10 yards of the exact fabric I had been looking for showed up at my doorstep.

So yeah, Ralph's OK in my book...
 
B

Bugeyed Earl

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Re: Ralph Lauren\'s Garage

Ryan said:
Weird story, but I spent years trying to find a specific fabric for the interior of my model-a coupe. It was originally found on a sears bought seat cover from the late 1940's... I traced the textiles made by the sears manufacturer up until the early 1980s when all of the textiles were bought by a company that is owned by one of Ralph's companies.

So, I took a blind *** shot of what I thought Ralph's email would be. I missed but some tech guy at ralphlauren.com made sure my email got the right guy. Ralph replied and asked for a shot of the fabric. I sent it to him and four weeks later, 10 yards of the exact fabric I had been looking for showed up at my doorstep.

So yeah, Ralph's OK in my book...
Click to expand...

Wow, that's a great story!
 
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ilovevocs

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Re: Ralph Lauren\'s Garage

^^ LMFAO.

Its amazing to me how diverse a "garage" can be. So many variotions. Personally my love for the garage transends the show aspect. I have had several show pieces throughout my life and sadly the vehicles I enjoy most are the ones i drive, most of them daily. The garage has become more about production for me then a showcase. That said, i have respect for others perspectives and the "culture" that motives the configuation of their space.

Thanks for sharing.
 
J

justanengineer

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Re: Ralph Lauren\'s Garage

Looks like he designed his garage to resemble a store with the barebores white metal structure and thick appearing black carpeting. Do you suppose they take up the carpeting every time he moves something in/out or do they just shampoo it clean?
 
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Dodo

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Re: Ralph Lauren\'s Garage

And surely this is not his entire car collection.
 
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aar0s

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Re: Ralph Lauren\'s Garage

Dodo said:
And surely this is not his entire car collection.
Click to expand...

That's what I was thinking, don't he have a Bugatti Atlantic, the one that has the big funky fin that goes over it? I could have swore that I saw his name on it in a slideshow of concourse D'elegance winners.
 
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redlinetoys

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Re: Ralph Lauren\'s Garage

Awesome... It reminds me a lot of the Porsche museum in Stuttgart. I'll bet Mr. Lauren has been there!

It seems odd to see cars this way at first, out of their element. However, after being to the Porsche museum a few summers ago, I can say that there is a definite zen to seeing and studying magnificent cars in this sort of setting.

What impressed me the most about the Porsche museum was that fact that there were no chains, ropes or walls keeping you from the cars. I shimmied under and around all of them, taking in wonderful details like safety wire, hand made parts, different finishes on stainless, aluminum, brass and copper.

Just amazing.
 

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ckadams00

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Re: Ralph Lauren\'s Garage

Well, it's RL . . .there is no reason his display shouldn't be as impressive as his collection. No?
 
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Stuart in MN

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Re: Ralph Lauren\'s Garage

Ryan said:
Ralph replied and asked for a shot of the fabric. I sent it to him and four weeks later, 10 yards of the exact fabric I had been looking for showed up at my doorstep.
Click to expand...

Cool story. He sounds like a car guy to me. :)
 
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46Nash

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Re: Ralph Lauren\'s Garage

I ran into the caretaker of Ralph's collection at a gas station 10 minutes from my house while I was filling up my Pinzgauer last fall. Turns out he lives close by and also owns a Pinz so we got to talking for a while about it. Exchanged info and emailed a few times but that was it. Real nice guy too, I should have followed up more.

My neighbor also knows someone who does security for Ralph, and long story short while on a job he found a Fiat Jolly stashed away in someone's garage. He almost brokered a deal to sell it to Ralph's collection but it didnt happen. But he remembered the guys name he dealt with and it was the dude I met above, so he was the real deal.
 
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NUTTSGT

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Re: Ralph Lauren\'s Garage

Ryan said:
Weird story, but I spent years trying to find a specific fabric for the interior of my model-a coupe. It was originally found on a sears bought seat cover from the late 1940's... I traced the textiles made by the sears manufacturer up until the early 1980s when all of the textiles were bought by a company that is owned by one of Ralph's companies.

So, I took a blind *** shot of what I thought Ralph's email would be. I missed but some tech guy at ralphlauren.com made sure my email got the right guy. Ralph replied and asked for a shot of the fabric. I sent it to him and four weeks later, 10 yards of the exact fabric I had been looking for showed up at my doorstep.

So yeah, Ralph's OK in my book...
Click to expand...

A story like that, yeah I'd say RL's garage deserves to be featured here.

I really like the black carpet. I think it would hide all the oil stains when working. . . . oh . . . wait. . .ah. . .um . . . :spit:
 
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PT Doc

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He has another collection of very precious silver cars as well.
 
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dandan111

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Re: Ralph Lauren\'s Garage

Ryan said:
Weird story, but I spent years trying to find a specific fabric for the interior of my model-a coupe. It was originally found on a sears bought seat cover from the late 1940's... I traced the textiles made by the sears manufacturer up until the early 1980s when all of the textiles were bought by a company that is owned by one of Ralph's companies.

So, I took a blind *** shot of what I thought Ralph's email would be. I missed but some tech guy at ralphlauren.com made sure my email got the right guy. Ralph replied and asked for a shot of the fabric. I sent it to him and four weeks later, 10 yards of the exact fabric I had been looking for showed up at my doorstep.

So yeah, Ralph's OK in my book...
Click to expand...
That real cool when a guy helps out like that. You should have sent a picture of the car finished.
 
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bmwpower

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Re: Ralph Lauren\'s Garage

Ryan said:
Weird story, but I spent years trying to find a specific fabric for the interior of my model-a coupe. It was originally found on a sears bought seat cover from the late 1940's... I traced the textiles made by the sears manufacturer up until the early 1980s when all of the textiles were bought by a company that is owned by one of Ralph's companies.

So, I took a blind *** shot of what I thought Ralph's email would be. I missed but some tech guy at ralphlauren.com made sure my email got the right guy. Ralph replied and asked for a shot of the fabric. I sent it to him and four weeks later, 10 yards of the exact fabric I had been looking for showed up at my doorstep.

So yeah, Ralph's OK in my book...
Click to expand...

Nice! That's pretty darn cool...
 
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Boiler

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Do we really expect someone that runs an operation like his to have time to tinker? I don't have the time and I run a department of six people and a family of four. This is what I EXPECT his show garage to look like. You know ther must be a FUNCTIONAL garage on the other side of the wall where his servants maintain them...
 
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BeachBoy

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Re: Ralph Lauren\'s Garage

aar0s said:
That's what I was thinking, don't he have a Bugatti Atlantic, the one that has the big funky fin that goes over it? I could have swore that I saw his name on it in a slideshow of concourse D'elegance winners.
Click to expand...

Yes he owns one of the only two Bugatti 57 Atlantic in the world.

That's RL's one:
800px-RL_1938_Bugatti_57SC_Atlantic_34_2.jpg
 
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aar0s

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for some reason I was thinking the fin was taller, that thing is a awesome.
 
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rmckee

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Had the pleasure of seeing R.L.'s collection at the Museum of Fine Art in Boston many years ago (guess would be 2003-4). I unfortunately didn't snap any photos that made it to this day, but wow. Truly an amazing collection, and awesome that he would share it. I assume there's hundreds of people in the world with stunning collections that aren't kind enough to let others have a look.

Good story above too with the fabrics!
 
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Ryan

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Puss bag... trailer queens... Do you guys know Ralph at all? Or are you just jumping to judgement?

I don't know him at all other than the email exchange I had with him and, of course, the incredibly nice thing he did for me. For all I know, he's some kind of a terrible puss bag with a pension to trailer his cars and...

At the end of the day, he's a car guy. And I've found in my experience that 99% of real car guys are the salt of the earth. And for that reason, I tend to be pretty defensive of them.

Point is, Ralph could read your posts. I wouldn't be surprised at all if he did... And I can't imagine it would make him feel all that great to read those posts. Just something to think about.
 
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agfisher

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rmckee said:
Had the pleasure of seeing R.L.'s collection at the Museum of Fine Art in Boston many years ago (guess would be 2003-4). I unfortunately didn't snap any photos that made it to this day, but wow. Truly an amazing collection, and awesome that he would share it. I assume there's hundreds of people in the world with stunning collections that aren't kind enough to let others have a look.

Good story above too with the fabrics!
Click to expand...

Was there for that one too. Stunning.
 
K

K13

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Ryan said:
Puss bag... trailer queens... Do you guys know Ralph at all? Or are you just jumping to judgement?

I don't know him at all other than the email exchange I had with him and, of course, the incredibly nice thing he did for me. For all I know, he's some kind of a terrible puss bag with a pension to trailer his cars and...

At the end of the day, he's a car guy. And I've found in my experience that 99% of real car guys are the salt of the earth. And for that reason, I tend to be pretty defensive of them.

Point is, Ralph could read your posts. I wouldn't be surprised at all if he did... And I can't imagine it would make him feel all that great to read those posts. Just something to think about.
Click to expand...

Well put! Some of you guys need to do a little research before you spout off on forums because it makes you look bad when you have no idea what you are talking about. A 30 second google search and you would know that Ralph drives his cars.
 
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Ryan

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K13 said:
Well put! Some of you guys need to do a little research before you spout off on forums because it makes you look bad when you have no idea what you are talking about. A 30 second google search and you would know that Ralph drives his cars.
Click to expand...

Even if he didn't... Even if he never sat his sport clothing wearing *** behind the wheel, what's the problem with that? They are his cars... He has taken the responsibility of preserving them for the world and should do with them as he pleases as far as I am concerned.

But to the point - as the purveyor of a lot of internet forums and many millions of pageviews per month, I have grown sour on the idea that forums are the place to "speak your mind" no matter the folks that are trampled by doing so.

Out with manners and common decency and in with bowed chests and brash comments. Yeah, **** all that.

I'm one that feels people should be good to one another and that we all deserve the benefit of the doubt. I guess I'm a hold out, but I really believe in folks.

If I shared in Ralph's success and had the means, I'd have a Ferrari of every vintage... I have a lot of German stuff to... and they would all keep my early Fords company why I was driving one or the other. And you know what? I wouldn't give a damn what anyone thought of my habits, but I'd still hope for a little decency amongst folks.
 
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