Love of cars translates into fashion

Milk Digital/Michael  [Photo provided to China Daily]

Ralph Lauren loves cars. And this year for the first time he presented his Fall 2017 Runway Collection in his garage in Bedford, on the outskirts of New York City, which houses some of the world's rarest cars.

As models walked around his auto collection on Tuesday night before an audience of about 300 guests, the cars' design details came to life in sculpted leather and high-gloss silk clothes, two signature materials of his new Runway Collection.

Traditional houndstooth and Glen plaid were re-imagined in feminine proportions. From the architectural lines of his Fall 2017 Collection to his iconic Purple Label designs, the perfectly tailored silhouette is a Ralph Lauren signature.

Lauren tells China Daily that the theme of the show is "my car show", a mix of art and cars. "Artsy cars are not only art, but technology, speed, sexy."

And the cars that were made between 1937 and 2015 weren't just a backdrop for his new fall collection, they are his inspiration.

"My cars have always been an inspiration to me," he says. "I see them as moving art. My women's collection for Fall 2017 connects the elements of the speed, style and beauty of these handcrafted vehicles with the very modern, yet timeless spirit of the clothes. There is a sleekness, an innate sexiness and power to shapes sculpted out of high-tech patent leathers and high gloss silks."

For example, some garments have a number 8 on them, which is from a 1920s Bugatti that Lauren has. "The grill, the fabric is metal, sort of very techy, industrial and so the fabric of the dress is beautiful, elegant, but it has a little more technology to it and the number 8 goes for the sensibility of the car," he says.

Lauren says what he is showing is the "modernness" of his company and the "timelessness" of design, both in his clothes and the cars he collects.

"That's very important in terms of what's happening today," he says.

"There's timelessness. Timeless doesn't mean it's old, yesterday's news. Timeless means it always looks better with age. It keeps looking good."

Lauren says he believes fashion has no age if it's good fashion, whether it's cars, clothes or food.