Written by Reginald Perry Wednesday, 09 March 2011 21:53

Ralph Lauren’s Classic Cars Are Set To Make One Of Their Rare Public Appearances In Paris

Paris, France - Among the major car collections in the world, there is one that stands out more than any other as synonymous with excellence: that of iconic American fashion designer Ralph Lauren. A selection of the most prestigious sports cars from the 1930s to present day will go on view for the first time in Europe at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, with the exhibit running from 28 April to 28 August, 2011. Seventeen outstanding cars, chosen by curator Rodolphe Rapetti, and put on display by Jean-Michel Wilmotte, outline the main phases of European automobile history. With this collection, Ralph Lauren shows that the automobile as created by the industry’s most famous names: Bugatti, Alfa Romeo, Bentley, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Porsche and of course, Ferrari, is a major art form

In 1970, Les Arts Décoratifs presented a selection of competition cars, “Bolides Design.” To compile the exhibition, a special jury was assembled, featuring designers Joe Colombo, Roger Tallon and Pio Manzu, and the artists Jean-Paul Riopelle, Jean Tinguely and Victor Vasarely, as well as Robert Delpire and François Mathey. The jury chose the models with the idea of the car as a design object, a work of art, showing that “art and technique, each at their own level, are the expression of man and his relationship with design.”

The Ralph Lauren car collection can be seen from the same perspective. Patiently assembled over several decades by the fashion designer in a quest for speed and performance, it includes some of the most extraordinary jewels in the crown of European automobile history, with beauty as its common denominator.

Within the collection are some of the most elegant and innovative cars in automotive history, from the “Blower” Bentley (1929), the Ferrari 250 GTO (1962), the famous Mercedes 300 SL (1955) and the unforgettable Jaguar “D type,” whose shark fin blazed a triumphant trail at Le Mans in 1955, 1956 and 1957. But the grand tourer, the Bugatti Atlantic (1938) of which only four models were produced, represents the ultimate in luxury while showcasing the evolution of styles and techniques on the road. Each of these exceptional vehicles was designed as a masterpiece blending technological innovation and boldness of style.




The exhibition will feature a number of famous designs. The 1929 Bentley Blower, designed by W.O. Bentley, but it was Sir Hilary Birkin who suggested it be equipped with a compressor, hence its nickname “Blower.” With massive bodywork embellished with the British flag, the Bentley Blower was created for a single purpose: to win races. This is the car Ian Fleming chose for James Bond 007 in his first novels. The 1930 Mercedes-Benz SSK Count Trossi, with its shark profile, the design of this Mercedes-Benz can be attributed to the talent of its owner, Italian aristocrat Count Carlo Felice Trossi, also a racing driver. The SSK is the archetype of the Mercedes of the 1920s, dominated by its colossal bonnet encompassing more than half of its length, with the radiator projecting out front as a windbreaker and exhaust pipes stemming from the sides. The Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic Coupe of 1938 is one of only four models ever built, of which only 2 survive today. This fantastic car has visible seams and round-headed rivets running the length of its spine and mudguards. Power and speed are suggested by its doors cut out of the roof and ellipsoidal windows taken from the aeronautics register. The Ferrari 375 Plus of 1954, was, like all the Ferraris of the time, created without any specific plan. Highly skilled craftsmen created this magnificently rounded shape following the verbal instructions of Ferrari’s official car designer, Pinin Farina. No car from the ’50s embodies speed better than the 1955 Jaguar XKD, with three consecutive victories between 1955 and 1957 at Le Mans 24 Hours, and another at Nürburgring in 1956. It’s this car that enabled the driver Patricia Coundley to become the fastest woman in Europe in 1964. The 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Coupe owes its name to the doors which open upward, like wings. It was the darling of many celebrities including Sophia Loren, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Glen Ford and musician Skitch Henderson. The Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa of 1958 is the product of Sergio Scaglietti, one of Ferrari’s most talented coachbuilders. The Testa Rossa (red head), which takes its name from the red camshaft covers of its V12 engine, bears Scaglietti’s characteristic signature – a long chassis with a torpedo-like body, a headrest emerging from the bodywork and streamlined headlamps.

The Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris is located in the Louvre museum's western wing, known as the Pavillon de Marsan. The museum was founded in 1905 by members of the Union des Arts Décoratifs. The architect was Gaston Redon. It houses and displays furniture, interior design, altar pieces, religious paintings, objets d'arts, tapestries, wallpaper, ceramics and glassware, plus toys from the Middle Ages to the present day. The collection is primarily composed of French furniture, tableware, carpets such as those from Aubusson, porcelain such as that by the Manufacture nationale de Sèvres, and a large number of glass pieces by René Lalique, Émile Gallé and many others. It includes numerous works in the Art Nouveau and Art Déco styles and modern examples by designers like Eileen Gray and Charlotte Perriand. However, the museum's deep holdings range back to 13th-century Europe.  Visit the museum’s website at … www.lesartsdecoratifs.fr.

---

Click on logo below to add this article to your favorite Social Website ~