What I would do if I were a billionaire

[Alpine 1789]

Ralph Lauren's "Garage"
Article: http://www.vanityfair.com/style/features/2011/01/ralph-lauren-garage-201101
Pictures: http://www.vanityfair.com/style/features/2011/01/ralph-lauren-garage-slide-show-201101#slide=1

What this article hints at but doesn't say, but I remember from a documentary on his collection a few years ago, is that Ralph has figured out how to make all of this a business expense! The classic cars are "inspiration" for his clothing and other products. They also regularly appear in advertisements for his products.

Given how some here react to modifications to Sunbeams, imagine how some will react to the last paragraph in the article:

And if a car doesn’t look perfect, Ralph Lauren will make it so. “These Bugattis were light blue,†he said, stopping in front of a 1934 Type 59 Grand Prix. “I said I wanted them black. I wanted to restore them as I thought they should ideally be.†He moved on to two Mercedes, one a Gullwing coupe, the other a 300SL Roadster, both painted in a color that is almost, but not quite, the standard German silver. Lauren’s cars have a touch of cream mixed in. “I got the right color, I got the right leather,†he said. “These cars are all what you dream they should be.â€

 

[alpine_64]

Jim,

I'm more intrigued that you are reading vanity fair....

 

[Alpine 1789]

You forget I have two daughters, one of whom works for Ralph. But, that said, it is actually a pretty good magazine. My daughter subscribes and frequently sends me links like this. She also sent me the link to the chapter they published a few years ago from the new James Bond book. The one that featured Bond discussing Alpines and Tigers and included this picture:

The excerpt is here: http://www.sunbeamalpine.org/forum/showthread.php?t=13800

 

[Nickodell]

Jim,

I'm more intrigued that you are reading vanity fair....

My wife takesV.F., and I've been reading just the Christopher Hitchens articles for some years. Sadly, as any of his fans will note, he has laryngial cancer and under chemo., and it doesn't look like he'll make it.

 

[alpine_64]

You forget I have two daughters, one of whom works for Ralph. But, that said, it is actually a pretty good magazine. My daughter subscribes and frequently sends me links like this. She also sent me the link to the chapter they published a few years ago from the new James Bond book. The one that featured Bond discussing Alpines and Tigers and included this picture:

The excerpt is here: http://www.sunbeamalpine.org/forum/showthread.php?t=13800

That's quite a cool little illustration there.. looking at the interior they have actually done some reserach on the car!