Ralph Lauren's New Womenswear Mansion

I may of never said it out loud but I am always wondering, "Why can't they build building like they used to?"
Yes glass towers will never leave our design aesthetic but for smaller shops, stores, boutiques and yes even houses, what ever happened to good ole limestone?
Well Ralph Lauren nearly made my weep yesterday when I went to visit his new mansion on 72nd and Madison Avenue that houses his womenswear collections and homewares on the top floor.

The building is designed like a Beaux Arts mansion, and the press is saying it is the first mansion built on the Upper East Side since 1918. His menswear is in the Rhinelander Mansion on the opposite side of Madison.
I can't tell you how many times I tapped things. Is it all real? Yes it is. Real limestone, real wrought iron banisters, real crystal chandeliers, real marble floors. I know it sounds tacky, but I was just amazed in this day and age a space like this could be built.

The entire mansion had the scent of Tuberose wafting through and every sales person and shopper were doe eyed. All of this splendor just opened last Friday.

When I was in the fine jewelry room the young, chic sales girl just spun around smiling saying, "I'm just so luck to work in such a place of beauty!" Isn't that just marvelous?

It reminded me when we opened Jeffrey New York back in 1999 and we were all so excited and everyone who came in had a smile on their face and a credit card ready to smoke out. Remember those halcyon days?

The only fake thing I found were the props. Fake flowers abound and the caviar at the bar was little black beads. I didn't check the whiskey in the decanters but I assume that was tea...

I loved that I saw a rather brawny man in plaid and lumber jack boots wearing a white lab coat monogrammed with RL. I finally realized he was part of the visuals team and had to hide his woodsy look with a lab coat to look more pristine in the all white environment. How YSL of Mr. Lauren.

As you know I don't care much for womans clothes (no drag jokes please!). Hey if I can't wear it, why obsess over it? So I marched up that divine staircase to the homewares section. Decadence to the deuxieme fois. Each room was carefully curated as bedroom, living room, bar room. Plus there were piles of books, candles, what nots and hoo has for gifts, or to just marvel at.

Upon leaving I saw two old grand dames walking in arm and arm and one looked around and exclaimed, "Well Helen if this doesn't get people outta their recession rut I don't know what will! Have you evah seen sucha place?"

He friend simple shook her head and smiled.

Thank you Mr. Lauren for giving New York something glamorous to gaze at again.