There are some things that seem to look better today than they did when they were created. Perhaps it’s because we’re always chasing some kind of newness and sometimes, we all need a little bit of nostalgia to get us through. From the latest TikTok video to the latest diet, our world is conceptually wrapped up in an insulated blanket of newness. This is precisely why this stunning 1935 Duesenberg Type J Convertible Coupe driven by Hollywood legend Clark Gable is such a breath of fresh air.
Tucked behind its sculpted lines, absurdly long wheelbase, and gigantic hood lies an origin story that has gone on to define automotive culture in America for nearly 100 years. This Duesenberg isn’t just any J, no, this Model J is one of the first celebrity-designed, custom vehicles ever and it started a revolution that is still being carried on to this day.
At the center of this movement was a brand that built its reputation on standing up and standing out. An instrumental piece of the Golden Age custom vehicle formula that was less of an option and more of a “must-have” on the world’s finest vehicles.
This is the story of Vogue Tyres and the birth of America’s obsession with custom vehicles.
ONE OF A KIND
The 1935 Duesenberg owned by Clark Gable has its origin stories at the center of a torrid and very famous affair. What else can you possibly expect from Hollywood in the 1930s? Those in the know around town spoke in hushed tones about the affair of Hollywood A-lister Gable and his new fling Carol Lombard. Gable would whisk Lombard around in beautiful Duesenbergs, Mercedes-Benz’s, Packards, and Cadillac’s all over Hollywood, much to the chagrin of the press. In 1939, after a messy divorce, Gable and Lombard were married.
Clark Gable specifically purchased this infamous 1935 Duesenberg to apply his own version of American panache and style to these already unbelievably beautiful vehicles. It had a body from Rollston when purchased but that wasn’t going to be enough for Gable. He turned the vehicle over to Bohman & Schwartz for a thorough re-work.
Gable didn’t just turn the car over and move on. He was hands-on throughout the entire process of building out this 1935 Duesenberg. From the sketching to sewing the interior panels and selecting every last element of this incredibly unique build - Gable was hands-on like no celebrity before him. This included those stunning whitewall tyres provided by non-other than the fine people at Vogue Tyre.
Gable and Lombard would take the Duesenberg on an epic road trip from their home in the San Fernando Valley to the pine-rich forests of Vancouver Washington. There, the car would stay, with the couple planning to fly back and then drive the car back to its home in Southern California the following Spring. Unfortunately, tragedy struck, and in 1942, Carol Lombard was killed in a plane crash near Las Vegas, NV. Gable, stricken with grief, immediately sold the car and it went underground for nearly 50 years.
THE START OF A REVOLUTION
In order to build a great brand, you need supply and demand. By 1926, Vogue founders saw the value in spreading beyond their native Chicago and began looking for opportunities on the West Coast and Dodson Limited became an exclusive distributor for Vogue Tyres on the West Coast. Los Angeles was growing at breakneck speed, fueled by the glory of Hollywood picture studios, and even as the Depression raged on, Hollywood Elite and those that supported them were able to afford vehicles that were positively outlandish.
Fame is contagious and within a few years of Hollywood elite getting a gander at vehicles like Gable’s 1935 Duesenberg, everyone wanted in on the action. What followed was a series of one-upping, show-stopping vehicles that would carry on through the Golden Age of Hollywood and beyond.
Here’s just some of the names and vehicles that insisted on Vogue as their tyre of choice:
A CENTURY OF CUSTOM LEGACY
Just like Clark Gable did back in the 1930s, today, people love to customize their rides with their own sense of style and statement. Over time, the ability to customize and modify cars trickled down from those at the most elite parts of society to those at all levels of society. This love of custom cars has never wavered, in fact, it has only gotten stronger as more and more vehicles became attainable to people of all income levels throughout the 20th Century.
At Vogue, our lineage runs as deep as America’s love of custom cars. Today, you can slice off a piece of this automotive history and show your own vehicle with a statement piece that will instantly have others taking notice, while you enjoy crisp handling, excellent traction in all conditions with our Miracle Tread Compound, and our exclusive Voguetech Comfortride technology.
Our hand-crafted tires, just like the vehicles and people that love them, are truly one of a kind.