Vladimir Kagan's Blog

The Vladimir Kagan Design Group and its Archives

 

An Archive Sixty-five Years in the Making  

Copyright Vladimir Kagan, February 24,2013

 

The Vladimir Kagan Archives, a fledgling idea that has simmered for years and is finally coming to fruition. It is an offshoot of a well-organized entity called the Vladimir Kagan Design Group Inc.; the successful home base of all of my diverse activities. This organization carries on the tradition of my father’s cabinet shop to make the finest handcrafted furniture made today. Yes, our craftsmen use some aspects of modern technology to accomplish our traditional comfort and high standard of quality. We have switched from a mouthful of upholstery tacks extracted nail by nail with a magnetized hammer… (An action now a days more akin to a circus act, which few younger upholsterers even know how to do; comparable to driving my Model T versus driving a new automatic shift car…) We have switched to the more efficient, safer power stapler. However, that is about the only concession to modernity in our upholstery. We still pride ourselves in starting with hardwood frames, eight-way tied coil springs with horsehair topping, burlap strapping, muslin under-covers and hand sewn finished upholstery. In our woodwork we have adopted electronic scanners to help us better achieve my multi-carved contouring instead of using the ancient spoke shaver. Still today, every new introduction must pass my scrutiny and hands-on fine-tuning before it goes into our workshops

 

My father, Illi Kagan, in his cabinet shop, teaching me the fine art of furniture making ca.1953

My Barrel Chair, from the 40s, shown in it's hardwood frame and eight-way tied coilspting seat... That's how we did it then.... that's how we do it today

 

The Vladimir Kagan Design Group coordinates and oversees my worldwide activities; it is my support team for the bespoke consulting services that I provide to Designers and Architects. It is the conduit for all of our representative showrooms around the country. It organizes the complex shipping to our clients in many corners of the world. It is the depot for storing all the component parts of my designs to assure efficient delivery of my furniture, and finally, it is the custodian of my valuable archives.

I have been collecting my furniture whenever and wherever it became available and affordable. “Affordable” has vanished quite a few years ago, but occasionally there were items that I could not resist. Over time, I have accumulated a substantial collection of rare Kagan specimens. These treasures were stacked on pallet rack in my crowded warehouse… collecting dust. They have survived four moves in the last twenty-five years… And the collection has kept on growing.

   

A rare Erica Wilson embroidered chair acquired over forty years ago

The vitrine cabinet I designed for my parent's home in Woodstock, NY in the late 40s... rescued and in the Archives

My High School project - a rendering of a dining room - it became the first chair that I actually built

 

Some acquisition opportunities have slipped by because I either could not afford them or I was not enough of a visionary to see their future. (Had I had the wisdom of a dealer, these would have been the smartest investments of my life)… but who knew that I would live to see the day when a sofa of mine would fetch $193,000 at auction - chairs selling for over $20,000 to $50,000. My furniture appears monthly in glossy shelter magazines adorning celebrity homes. Inadvertently I have achieved stardom… or something close to it.

Today, I regret having ever sold any of my vintage furniture, no matter how alluring the price; it was bagatelle compared to its historic value. I have finally closed the barn door after the horses fled and come to the momentous conclusion to collect rather than sell.

The “Archive” concept had been smoldering for years… I even partnered with a devoted client-fan to purchase furniture as it came up at auction. The idea was to create a Kagan Museum to be located in a funky yet –to-be-defined location… Alas, it all fell apart with the recession of 2008. Reluctantly we agreed to split our collected works; half for her new home - the other languishing on my shelves collecting dust.

All this changed when my sage business associate, Joe Vitagliano came up with the brilliant idea that we should move our offices and warehouse. Our facilities were groaning at the seams. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of my support team and their attention to the details that maintain our high level of quality, our company had grown Globally.

None-the-less the prospect of another move, this time from Paterson New Jersey to Clifton, only a five minute drive away… rekindled the nightmarish memories of our last move from Queens to Paterson five years earlier…

Until I saw the space - WOW!

 
The Loft before renovation

 

A twelve thousand five hundred square foot loft with close to 100 window and twenty-five foot high ceilings… it was irresistible. This was a historic mill building famous, a century earlier, for the finest silks woven in the United States. When my children saw the raw apace they for once all agreed that I must make the move… they saw it as a great venue for parties complete with rock bands… Our vision was a bit different.

 

The historic Mill building that is now the home of the Vladimir Kagan Design Group

Once again I jumped into the breach and agreed to move. To everyone’s relief, it coincided with my prolonged trip to Europe. Plans were drawn up and work was done without my interference; everyone pitched-in and it was completed in time for Christmas. The huge loft was transformed into functioning offices, ample storage, a dedicated assembling and inspection space for furniture ready for delivery. Four thousand square feet of space were transformed into a stage setting for my collection of well over fifty vintage pieces of furniture.

 
 Renderings of the envisioned Archive space

The Archive space taking shape

A view toward the well organized storage and assembly area

Stacked chair components ready for assembly

The romatic Catwalk becomes the storage for our patterns (see them in my father's factory photo)

 

 The fulfillment of a vision: The Kagan Archives

 

A view towared the entrance with a pair of Mini-Kagan chair frames made for Angelina Jollie

A line-up of over a dozen collected chairs dating from the 40s to the present

Since my return from Europe I rejoice in finding “new” treasures still wrapped and tucked away on shelves; furniture that rekindles memories back to 1950 and earlier. “I may not remember your name but I sure remember the history of every piece of furniture – the client – the location – and when it was created!”

 

The Kagan Archives are not open to the public… We can only accommodate limited groups of professional visitors by appointment. There are no docents, no curators, and no gift shop. There is only my wonderful support team who keep the Vladimir Kagan Design Group Inc. functioning and buzzing along… If your timing is right, you might even get Vladimir Kagan as your personal guide.

 

 

To arrange a visit, kindly contact my office at 973 225-0925

 

 

 

Nantucket's Storm

 

Nantucket During the Storm

Copyright Vladimir Kagan, February 12, 2013

 

Yesterday I showed you the tranquil side of Nantucket in a snowstorm; this is the real McCoy! – When a Blizzard hits the East coast, Nantucket gets a real Nor’easter complete with massive flooding.

 

These photos were sent to me by our Yacht Club and I thought worthwhile sharing with you.

Looking up Main Street - Erica Wilson's  Store is hidden off to the right

Now, take a look in the opposite direction - Steamboat Wharf and all the shops flooded

                                                                                                    photo by Chad Piere

Notice the people slogging throught the icewater - a view toward Streightwarf and the fery docks

                                                                                                  photo by Nantucket Hotel staff

Children's Beach and a flooded cottage

                       photo by Mark Ranney

Easy Street, usually filled with tourist photographing the picturesque harbor

                                                                               photo by Mark Ranney

Flooded cars with the Yacht Club's tennis courts in the background

                                                                photo by Mark Ranney

Aptly named South Water Street

              photo by Mark Ranney

Though these pictures tell a distressing story, Nantucketers take their storms in stride... when the tide goes out, the waters will recede and life will go back to normal... almost.

I hope that you are snuggly at home while watching these chilly scenes!

Snow, snow everywhere - my take on the Blizzard

The Blizzard of 2013

Copyright Vladimir Kagan, February 10, 2013

 

Just when I thought that I had nothing to write about, God sent me the Blizzard of 2013.

 

As usual, life in my “ivory tower” on the upper East side is calm. New York had just under a foot of snow… manageable for both pedestrians and vehicular traffic. Parked cars were romantically covered with a heaping of the white stuff. We were spared Sandy’s devastation… Not so for the rest of the Northeast! 

Long Island got hit badly; in some places up to three feet. Except for the skiers and sledders, the locals are not used to this. They abandoned their cars mid-road and found shelter, those that stayed home, woke up to the snow covering their doorsteps and porches; clean-up crews were equally were quagmired. Long Island is a mess. Not surprising, thousands of people are without electricity and probably will be so for days to come. (At least this time around, they can put their perishables in the snow, providing the raccoons won’t get them first.)

               

Cars buried in the snow on our street

If you live in our neck of the world, there was no way to escape the 24/7 coverage on TV, radio and newspapers… (There was no other noteworthy news.) For those of you living further off, I am certain that you got the news blips, whether you wanted to or not. As a result you do not need an official report… here is my personal take.

 

NEW YORK

My apartment windows are shielded by arbritrary prison bars (mandated by a city code that says if there are children under 6 living in the apartment you’ve got to have them.) My Granddaughters have all grown older but the bars proof to be very useful with our dog, who likes to chase seagulls in flight!

 

Views from my windows, the morning after the storm. (On the windowsill is a model of the Titanic  that my son Illya and I built when he was 6)

The courtyard in our building, covered in snow - the bronze heron fountain in the center island garden, normally a blaze of flowers and greenery.

A walk down Fifth Avenue 

Central Park - a playground for all snow lovers and dogs

NANTUCKET

My son Illya lives there year around. He reported winds of 95 miles and hour… (Over 74 miles constitutes a hurricane.). Being an island 30 miles at sea, Nantucket doesn't get much snow, but enough fell this time to take his daughter’s out cross-country skiing. (Unfortunately, his iPhone camera was overloaded and he could not take photos for this Blog.)

To show you Nantucket in the snow, these are my photos taken through the kitchen window and in the garden a few years ago. 

Nantucket is a magical place in the snow

 

MAINE

My granddaughter Olivia goes to Bowdoin College in Brunswick. There they are used to snow and welcome it. They received over two feet and in the ski areas were blessed with three. When I called her, all she could say was “Oh My God, it’s amazing”.

 

Olivia on the Bowdoin Campus in Maine

 

AFTERMATH

We had a weekend of glorious sunshine… The snow is turning to slush… I’ve managed to waddle through it with my walker… an excellent exercise for survival.

A love note written in the snow 

 

 

Europe in Black & White

Reminiscences of Europe

Copyright Vladimir Kagan, February 5, 2013

 

I am finally back in New York for over two week - buried in work…the glow of Europe is rapidly evaporating… Before the last images fade away, I’ve gathered a few reminiscences.

 

IMPRESSIONS IN BLACK & WHITE

 

Photos of Europe in Black & White – snaps I took on my iPhone along the road from Gstaad to Geneva and the next day, on a high-speed train from Geneva to Paris…. Plus a rare glimpse of Paris in the snow.

 

Europe was covered with a blanket of snow. The countryside was devoid of color...it is a huge panorama in black and white. Where there were vineyards dotting the hillside, where cows and sheep were grazing, there is nothing but a huge expanse of white.

 

On the road through Roughmont

Driving down from Gstaad, the road is a black tarmac ribbon cutting through pristine white snow. Steep mountains, their peaks covered in mist, border the road. Tall black pines interrupt the whiteness, their branches thickly layered with snow. Occasionally rivulets of streams cut black gullies down the mountain accentuating the scene.

 

 





The road from Gstaad - a vision in black and white

One day later, we were comfortably sitting on the TGV from Geneva to Paris, the view out of our window was much the same: black and white flashes as the train sped through the bucolic French countryside at 200 miles per hour.

 

Not a creature in sight - nothing but black and white for hundreds of miles


In the summer, this view is a kaleidoscope of color: sunflowers, wheat fields, green fields and fresh brown-tilled earth, hillsides dotted with white sheep and tan cows. However, the panorama unfolding in front of my eyes today was an unending whiteness… it was magical… a calming scene that I adore… rivaling the sunshine and sea in the summer.

 

PARIS IN THE SNOW

Paris in the snow is enchantment... It is such a rare occurrence that most Parisians must go to a museum to see Monet’s and Pissarro’s impression of their snow covered city.

 

 

 

Illya and I enjoyed an unexpected holiday, sloshing around town… visiting my favorite Musée Dorsey, sitting in sidewalk cafes sipping tea and coffee…Illya did a long jog through the snow and took some of these remarkable photos.

Illya Kagan enjoying a cappuccino in a sidewalk cafe after pushing me in a wheelchair through the slush

Mustaffa, our faithful driver with Illya and me

MAISON & OBJET

 

Paris in January means Maison & Object. A carnival of decorative home objects located in a huge sprawling exhibition space at Vilipend – Paris Nord. Vilipend is not a destination except for this colorful show. I participate yearly with my Italian manufacturer (in excellent company with their two other licensees: Fendi and Kenzo.) As always, they created a hip space to show The Vladimir Kagan New York Collection … My mission? To be the “trophy” for visitors from all corners of the world to cluster around and chat with me and have their picture taken with an “icon”.

  , 

"Me" as the trophy in my exhibit - photographed with clients from all over the world

 My son Illya has accompanied me on the last three of these junkets. His job is to keeps me on the straight and narrow. He gathers interested clients to my table, ably providing information. His second mission was to makes certain that I had both my briefcase and Man-bag at my feet to bring forth hidden treasures.

 

THIS IS THE SAGA OF THE MAN-BAG

To smarten my image, my sister surprised me with an elegant, soft leather shoulder bag emblazoned with the name Longchamp. She did not approve of my red Patagonia bag: inappropriate for a designer of my status!

It was stolen at opening day! A sneaky character managed to twist a lattice partitions and skillfully extracted the Longchamp right under our collective noses, complete with my passport, wallet, credit cards, driver’s license, medical records and all of my cash. I was penniless! It was Friday night; the US Embassy had already closed for the three day Martin Luther King holiday. Flights and credit cards needed to be immediately canceled. Traffic in the snow was horrendous. It took two hours to drive to town. I was late for a dinner party given in my honor by Christies, the auction house that has sold so many of my designs to Parisian collectors. No time to change, I arrived in a sweater and sneakers at Caviar Kaspia, one of Paris’ most salubrious eateries.

 
The elegant dinner given  in my honor by Christies. What you are not seeing this photo is the bountiful heaping of caviar served on a backed potatoe!

 and me in a sweater and sneakers

 

This is when a light flashed on in my head!

Everything happens with a purpose: I finally had material for this Blog!

 

Next morning we made our report to the local Gendarmes, borrowed enough cash to get by, adapted our lives to a credit-card-less existence and relished the prospect of another four days in Paris. Illya and I were going to “suffer” through this dilemma in style.

 

Illya filing the police report at the local Gendarmery

Two days later the dream was shattered! The police had found my Passport, wallet and credit cards! All that was missing was the cash and the Longchamp bag…. So much for my chic designer image.

 

“All is well that ends well?”…Not to so fast!

 

The day of our departure it had finally stopped snowing. It was damp and drizzling but all looked wonderful. However, en rout to the airport, we were informed that our flight to London had been cancelled due to weather in England.  Back in limbo…what to do? Head for the train with all of our luggage? (Too dismal to contemplate). A quick call to Virgin Atlantic confirmed that our overseas flight was on schedule…We chose to slog on in the hope of finding an alternate flight to London and managed to find a flight three hours later. Before boarding, we were informed of another hour’s delay! Each delay necessitated rescheduling our Virgin flight. Three altered flights later cost $1,000! We arrived in New York at midnight on the coldest day of the year – but we were home at last!

 

Today I am still wallowing through three months of accumulated mail, messages, magazines and work!