Hasta La Ideas

Masterpieces of Ralph Lauren’s legendary car collection on display in Paris

Starting today seventeen of the world’s finest classic sports cars from Ralph Lauren’s legendary personal collection will be on show at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. “The Art of the Automobile” features select cars from the designer’s prolific stockpiles, one of the most extensive in the world.

Acting as a visual timeline of the evolution of European automobile design through the 20th Century, the cars on display—among them Bugatti, Alfa Romeo, Bentley, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Porsche and Ferrari—are among the most exceptional in the world and have been infrequently shown to the public. Each one, all created between the 1930s and the 1990s, stands as a masterpiece of both technological innovation and impeccable design.

The result is a show of some of the rarest and most beautiful cars by the greatest names in automobiles, including four (a ’31 Alfa Romeo Monza 8C 2300; a
Jaguar XKSS from 1956/1958; a ’60 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Scaglietti and a ’64 Ferrari 250 LM) that have never been exhibited before.

To commemorate the exhibition, a limited run book features each car, its historical and technical significance and an explanation by Lauren himself on what guides his passion for car collection. The book will also showcase many of the same images seen here, all exceptionally shot by renowned automobile photographer Michael Furman.

The show runs through 28 August 2011 and is open to the public for a small fee of €9.

A few tins I noticed on ebay this week.

Add throwback style to walls with vintage subway signs

Drawing on their love of soccer heritage, the enthusiasts behind Bumpy Pitch clothing company and lifestyle site The Original Winger recently created a collection of prints inspired by vintage transit signage. The line, called Flying Junction, modeled after subway and bus rollsigns from the early 1900s, uses hand-lettering techniques to make them look more authentically retro.

Printed with soy ink on archival recycled canvas or paper, much of the current stock is NYC-focused, but Flying Junction’s Ben Hooper explains they will continue to feature cities around the world, and are working on a line of t-shirts and other products for the near future.

Flying Junction prints currently sell online from Etsy, and span $20-130 depending on size and style.

A proudly British label merges form and function with unexpected fabrics for truly unique handbags

Feeling constrained as a freelance interiors stylist, Londoner Tamara Fogle abandoned editorial features in favor of following her own creative pursuit. What began simply as a desire to make “things” she liked, Fogle explains “now my job is a real reflection of me, and I love that fact.” Steadily gaining notoriety since its inception in 2007, her eponymous handbag label is now stocked by a wealth of specialty boutiques across the U.K., as well as at London’s edgy Hoxton Gallery and The British Museum shop.

Fogle’s passion for her work is evident in every bag, which are each entirely designed and made in the U.K.—a decision she says is “exceedingly important.” While this drastically reduces her carbon footprint, Fogle explains her real interest is in bolstering a “diminishing industry” that truly excels in craftsmanship. “By championing British production, I hope to evoke the heritage and create the quality that U.K. manufacturing was once renowned for. My focus is to create a quality product that will last forever, and won’t be thrown away in favor of next season’s fad. Instead, it will get better and better with age and wear.”

In addition to ensuring sustainability, Fogle’s label also stands out for its fabrics, with the designer roaming the globe for unique materials and finishes that span French mattress ticking to Indian quilts. “Sourcing fabrics is the most fun,” she says. “For longstanding ranges like my Antique German Flour Sack range, I work with a few specialist textile dealers. Looking for new fabrics means I am constantly scouring antique fairs and talking to the most interesting and eccentric people.”

Her latest find is a stockpile of vintage Belgian army tent bags that are “enormous and falling apart at the seams,” but by playing with the proportions, Fogle says “the fabric can be made up into fantastic bags that combine textures like soft leather hides, hard bridle leathers and other ‘scruffy textiles’ for a distinct aesthetic.”

Tamara Fogle bags sell in a variety of styles and patterns, and are stocked in the U.K. at Elys of Wimbledon, Flint in Sussex and 18 The Mall in Bristol, as well as Iena in Japan, online at ModCloth in the States and Le Grenier in Australia. Prices typically span £125-330.

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Vintage neckties upcycled into cheeky rosette brooches

“I’m a sucker for odds and ends,” says Boston-based fashion designer Nicole Deponte. So when she inherited a trash bag full of one-of-a-kind vintage neckties in 2009, what started “as a happy accident”—an experiment with a belt—”grew into a ruffled collection of innovative accessories” called Lilian Asterfield.

Among the line’s original scarves, hats and headbands, Deponte’s hand-sewn rosette brooches put a particularly feminine twist on the source material. The exaggerated poof of the accessory reinvents the meaning of a power tie for today’s dandy, looking equally fitting playfully paired with an ’80s suit as it would with a more modern cut. Although Lilian Asterfield launches a new collection each season, the label prides itself on not being season or gender specific.

The brooches retail for around $25, and sells online through Etsy or Nicole’s site directly.