Naomi Leff

One of the most influential American interior designers of the twentieth century, Naomi Leff is best known as the creator of the flagship Ralph Lauren store in Manhattan. There she established the brand image, combining a distinctive architectural form with feminine grace, patrician elegance, and luxurious comfort. Those elements inform Leff's portfolio, which encompasses residential design for wealthy families and Hollywood stars, retail spaces for Giorgio Armani, private clubs and spas, and interiors for yachts and corporate jets. Drawing especially on the defined shapes, simple forms, and opulent materials of the art deco style, she produced a sense of understated luxury and timeless elegance. Twenty projects are featured, all illustrated with lush color photography and with sketches and renderings from the Leff archive, now held at the Pratt Institute in New York. Honored with every award from the interior design profession, Naomi Leff was inducted into the Design Hall of Fame in 1991 and named the Dean of Design by Architectural Digest in 2005.

One of the most influential American interior designers of the twentieth century, Naomi Leff is best known as the creator of the flagship Ralph Lauren store in Manhattan. There she established the brand image, combining a distinctive architectural form with feminine grace, patrician elegance, and luxurious comfort. Those elements inform Leff's portfolio, which encompasses residential design for wealthy families and Hollywood stars, retail spaces for Giorgio Armani, private clubs and spas, and interiors for yachts and corporate jets. Drawing especially on the defined shapes, simple forms, and opulent materials of the art deco style, she produced a sense of understated luxury and timeless elegance. Twenty projects are featured, all illustrated with lush color photography and with sketches and renderings from the Leff archive, now held at the Pratt Institute in New York. Honored with every award from the interior design profession, Naomi Leff was inducted into the Design Hall of Fame in 1991 and named the Dean of Design by Architectural Digest in 2005.

Kimberly Williams is owner-principal of design practice Lila-Lou London. She worked as interior design and project manager for Naomi Leff & Associates.

Paige Rense is the editor in chief of Architectural Digest. She is the editor of Private Views: Inside the World's Greatest Homes and other books.