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Vladimir Kagan Footstools

American, German, 1927-2016

The pioneers of modern furniture design in America in the mid-20th century all had their moments of flamboyance: Charles and Ray Eames produced the startling, biomorphic La Chaise; George Nelson’s firm created the Marshmallow sofa; Edward Wormley had his decadent Listen to Me chaise. But no designer of the day steadily offered works with more verve and dynamism than Vladimir Kagan. While others, it seems, designed with suburban households in mind, Kagan aimed to suit the tastes of young, sophisticated city-dwellers. With signature designs that feature sleekly curved frames and others that have dramatic out-thrust legs, Kagan made furniture sexy.

Kagan’s father was a Russian master cabinetmaker who took his family first to Germany (where Vladimir was born) and then to New York in 1938. After studying architecture at Columbia University, Kagan opened a design firm at age 22 and immediately made a splash with his long, low and sinuous Serpentine sofa. Furniture lines such as the Tri-symmetric group of glass-topped, three-legged tables and the vivacious Contours chairs soon followed.

Kagan’s choices of form and materials evolved through subsequent decades, embracing lucite, aluminum and burl-wood veneers. By the late 1960s, Kagan was designing austere, asymmetrical cabinets and his Omnibus group of modular sofas and chairs. For all his aesthetic élan, Kagan said that throughout his career, his touchstone was comfort. “A lot of modern furniture was not comfortable. And so comfort is: form follows function. The function was to make it comfortable,” he once commented. “I created what I called vessels for the human body.”

A diverse group of bodies have made themselves at home with Kagan designs. Among the famous names who commissioned and collected his designs are Marilyn Monroe, Gary Cooper, Andy Warhol, David Lynch, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, and firms such as Gucci and Giorgio Armani. His work is in numerous museum collections, including those of the Victoria & Albert and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Because of its idiosyncrasy, Kagan’s work did not lend itself to mass-production. Kagan never signed on with any of the major furniture-making corporations, and examples of his designs are relatively rare. As you will see from the offerings on 1stDibs, even decades after their conception, Kagan pieces still command the eye, with their freshness, energy, sensuality and wit.

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Creator: Vladimir Kagan
Foot Stool in Red Offered by Vladimir Kagan Design Group
Foot Stool in Red Offered by Vladimir Kagan Design Group

Foot Stool in Red Offered by Vladimir Kagan Design Group

By Vladimir Kagan

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Vladimir Kagan Foot Stool in Red. Pairs with Multi-position Reclining chair. Vladimir Kagan (1927-2016) emigrated to the United States from Germany ...

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Vladimir Kagan footstools for sale on 1stDibs.

Vladimir Kagan footstools are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of upholstery and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Vladimir Kagan footstools, although red editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 1 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 1 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original footstools by Vladimir Kagan were created in the modern style in united states during the 1990s. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider footstools by Jhon Ortiz, and The Tailored Home. Prices for Vladimir Kagan footstools can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $2,800 and can go as high as $2,970, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $2,885.