Element Of Style: Carbon Fiber For Ralph Lauren Magazine

My latest feature for Ralph Lauren Magazine is on carbon fiber, which has increasingly become a signature material and design motif of the brand. It all began with the chair pictured above, which is still in production.

But what exactly is carbon fiber? Here it is in 75 words:

Just what is this powerful and beautiful material? In science-speak, carbon fiber is a reinforced polymer, or composite material made from a carbon filament and a resin. After carbonization, the material is spun into a yarn that is woven into sheets, providing its distinct look. Broadly speaking, carbon fiber’s origins go all the way back to Thomas Edison, who found that if he took a natural material such as cotton or linen and burned it under careful conditions, he would be left with a black material made of pure carbon, perfect for illuminating his latest invention—the light bulb.

Head over to RL Mag for the full story.