HOLLY HUNT Designer Spotlight: Vladimir Kagan
2 March 2022
HOLLY HUNT's luxury portfolio includes works from the late mid-century furniture designer and visionary Vladimir Kagan. By drawing on inspiration from his extensive archive of works spanning five decades, the Kagan Design Group reissued a series of the pioneer's original pieces, refreshed with a contemporary lens.
Chris Eitel, Kagan’s protégé and successor, now Director of Design for Vladimir Kagan Design Group, was charged with bringing these pieces to life for the 21st century. Each nods to a variety of art and design movements, reflecting how Kagan interpreted and channelled the aesthetics of each era within his furniture designs.
Mid-century modern elements are found in his Barrel Sofa, an early design from the 1940’s, and the Upsilon Coffee Table, originally conceived in the 50s. The use of Lucite in Kagan’s 1967 Roll Back Sofa embraces the rise of new furniture materials in the 60s, while the Ellipse Lounge Chair emulates the 70s with a ruched pillow back. The Biscuit Sectional Sofa originated in the 80s for executive offices, boasting the use of strong lines and wooden arms whilst his sculptural Wysiwig with cut-out detailing nods to the futuristic mood of the 90s.
I C O N I C V L A D I M I R K A G A N
D E S I G N S A T H O L L Y H U N T
T H E S E R P E N T I N E S O F A
Originally released in 1950, Kagan's voluptuous curved sofa is as timeless as ever and continues to be a bestseller at HOLLY HUNT. The sweeping, snakelike shape was created to complement art collections, a popular trend during the heyday of mid-century modernism. By bringing the sofa into the middle of the room, Kagan was able to create space for clients to view and appreciate their new, larger-scale artworks.
T H E C O N T O U R C O L L E C T I O N
Embracing the modern movement of the 1950s with an organic approach, Kagan's contour collection is an icon of mid-century design for its emphasis on natural materials and hand craftsmanship. Echoing the stance of a foal standing firmly on its legs, the signature frame throughout the range joins at dynamic angles, creating a broad stance that exudes confidence. The sculpted upholstery is designed to cradle every contour of the body.
T H E F L O A T I N G C U R V E D S O F A
First designed in 1952, the Floating Curved Sofa unites two notable features of Kagan's work - a dramatically curved shape and elegantly sculpted walnut frame. The floating backrest give glimpses of negative space adding a lightness to the design. It lends itself to smaller spaces too, due to its minimalist design, generous seating, and light footprint.
T H E G I G I L O U N G E C H A I R
Devoting his final years to developing the next generation of his designs, Kagan explored increasingly complex and abstract shapes, exemplified in his GiGi Chair. The elaborate frame begins with solid walnut that is steam-bent then carved by a computerized machine for precision. Although made possible by technology, the GiGi’s dramatic twisting curves and intricacies still require a human hand: each frame is hand-sanded and massaged with coats of oil to ensure every facet is perfectly finished. The unique styling suggests futurism and denotes Kagan’s intuition as to what was next in design.
N O T E S T O E D I T O R S
ABOUT VLADIMIR KAGAN
Vladimir Kagan pioneered the enduring voice of midcentury modern design. A designer of not simply furniture but what he called “vessels to hold the human body,” Kagan joined the portfolio in 2016, personally entrusting his legacy to HOLLY HUNT. Kagan’s designs radiate his vitality and passion for discovery. Born in Worms, Germany in 1927, he emigrated to the U.S. at the age of 11, just before the dawn of WWII. From his father’s repeated admonishment “Ehre das Handwerk!” (“Honour the handcraft!”), Vladimir inherited an appreciation of artisan skill which, combined with his innovative design sensibility, was key to his success.
ABOUT CHRIS EITEL
Chris Eitel is the Director of Design and Production at Vladimir Kagan Design Group, now a part of the HOLLY HUNT portfolio. Eitel joined Vladimir Kagan as an intern in 2013, then worked side by side with the design icon as his apprentice, interpreting and directing the development of Kagan's furniture ideas into reality. When Kagan died in 2016, Eitel transitioned into his current role, where he initially oversaw the development of the Classic Collection and Kagan’s limited-edition collections for Carpenters Workshop Gallery and Ralph Pucci. Today, his focus is on setting the creative vision for the Vladimir Kagan brand and celebrating Kagan’s pioneering work, both through reimagined designs and releasing unfinished works from extensive Kagan archive.
Prior to his time with Vladimir Kagan, Eitel graduated with Studio Excellence Honors and a BFA in Furniture Design from the prestigious Kendall College of Art and Design in Michigan: the birthplace of the American furniture industry. While studying, he won several student design awards, including the Bienenstock Furniture Library Design Competition (2014) and the Pure Michigan Woods Design Challenge (2013).
Eitel has served on Board of Directors Committee for the American Society of Furniture Designers (2015 - 2018) and was a judge for the ASFD Pinnacle Design Awards (2015 - 2017).