Ralph Lauren is a man who has spent his life celebrating a distinctly American aesthetic, from his contributions to the Preppy sartorial expressions of college campus life, to the integration of Native American designs and traditions into his collections. But this year for the first time the Ralph Lauren Home collection brings a certain Italian flavour to its intent, launching at Milan Design Week and being showcased in the palazzo of Ralph Lauren in the famous European city.
The 2022 collection was showcased in an immaculate 1941 property that was originally designed by architect Mino Fiocchi and served as the perfect place to present Ralph Lauren’s more continental side. Several rooms of the mid-century building were brimming with pieces from the new collection, immersing VIPs in something of a time capsule from a distant but resplendent past of intricately woven fabrics and traditionally made furniture.
Furniture highlights included the Elsworth bar cabinet that boasts walnut, ebony, maple, and mahogany inlaid marquetry, executed in a geometric trompe l’oeil pattern. Likewise, the Bradburn sofa steps back in time to the golden age of the classic chesterfield, while still feeling modern.
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“I have long been inspired by the romance and timeless beauty of Milan—its winding cobblestone streets, the patina of its ancient façades, and its rich heritage of artisanal craftsmanship,” said Ralph Lauren. “When we discovered our palazzo in the late ’90s, I knew I had found our home in Milan.”
The Ralph Lauren Home Palazzo collection is named after the headquarters of the iconic American fashion brand, and is a signal of the designer’s interest in classic European design. Last November the brand opened The Bar at Ralph Lauren on Via della Spiga, and if reports are true, the label is already working on its next Italian-centric collection for the tasteful home.
