MILAN — Despite the seven decades that have passed since the creation of The Capricorn Collection of furniture, characterized by its metal and curved silhouettes and tech-forward grid pattern, it still seems ultra modern.
In 1952, Vladimir Kagan, a German-born naturalized U.S. citizen, made the decision to work with metal. Inspired by the work of Italian-born, American artist Harry Bertoia, he sought out a firm that made shopping carts and another that made fire escapes to create a fresh new approach to furniture.
Holly Hunt, a leading modern design brand under the MillerKnoll umbrella, said Thursday that it relaunched Kagan’s iconic The Capricorn Collection into a modern translation of the designer’s pioneering sculptural language encapsulated in a 10-piece, wire-framed outdoor furniture line. The array includes lounge chairs, sofa, bistro table, bar stool, dining tables, cocktail table and end table.
Starting this month, each piece will arrive etched with a detailed stamp marking its provenance, including Kagan’s signature and a registered serial number.
Kagan, who rose to the fore during the post-war industrial boom, was both bold and daring, said his protégé Chris Eitel, who was appointed by Vladimir Kagan Design’s owner Holly Hunt to re-issue Kagan’s designs.
Kagan was perhaps best known for his sinuous Serpentine sofa, which debuted in 1950. Eitel, who studied furniture design at Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, Mich., was hired by Kagan three years before his death in 2016. Kagan was sure about Eitel at the start and hired him sight unseen, during an online call. “I cleaned myself up so I would look my best, and I get on the interview and we do the whole interview… I can see him… but he doesn’t have his camera turned on.”
The Capricorn Collection
Courtesy of Holly Hunt
“With a brand with such a rich history, like Kagan, I think it was important for me to really understand [his design legacy]. It ultimately gave me the foundation to approach new designs that still come with a viewpoint of our brand’s identity and its history,” Eitel told WWD in an interview.
The Capricorn Collection was discontinued in 2013, as the pieces were notoriously difficult to manufacture. For decades it was constructed with powder-coated stainless steel, which was ideal for outdoor furniture. Eitel and Mark Minichiello, chief operating officer of Vladimir Kagan Design Group, were committed to restoring the collection. The team scoured the globe for a manufacturer capable of meeting the design’s demands. Ultimately, they partnered with a firm renowned for its expertise in shaping and sculpting metal with seamless welding.
For the chaise lounge, Eitel added an elegant, flowing back leg as support for the singular wheel design. Similarly, an additional leg was added to the lounge chair for stability.
“I’ve always felt that these pieces deserve a place in today’s design landscape, and I’m proud of the work this team has done to revive the Capricorn Collection, ” said Jo Annah Kornak, senior vice president and executive creative director at Holly Hunt and who supported Eitel and Minichiello to revive the iconic collection.
The collection will be available exclusively through Holly Hunt showrooms and Holly Hunt partner showrooms.
The Capricorn Collection
Courtesy of Holly Hunt
