Vladimir Kagan Nautilus Sofa in Ivory White Bouclé by Directional, c. 1990

Newly and professionally reupholstered Post Modern Nautilus sofa in ivory white bouclé by acclaimed designer Vladimir Kagan and made by Directional circa 1980. Known for his love of amorphous shapes and curves, this particular Vladimir Kagan sofa has a lovely extending seat back that emanates with a scroll and curves to gently plunge into the seat cushion on the opposite end, much like Vladimir Kagan’s popular Nautilus Swivel Chairs. A seamless merger of interests, this Vladimir Kagan sofa has a look of high art. Sculptural and beckons attention. But at the same time, great for snuggling or cozying up with a book and a throw blanket. We selected a super soft curly ivory bouclé fabric. Its texture is breathable and keeps you cool in summer and cozy in winter. Deliciously soft ivory white bouclé is rated highly durable with over 50k double rubs. Versatile size and neutral color make this gorgeous Kagan sofa easy to incorporate into most decors. From beach house to refined city apartments. Yes and yes. Great size for maneuvering into limited spaces or passageways. Custom cushions not included but available in our shop. Photographed along with and also currently available in our shop- Karpen Wingback Chairs in Luxuriously Soft Milk Chocolate Shearling, circa 1950s California Redwood Live Edge Table on Lucite Base Faux Bamboo Lucite and Brass Console by Charles Hollis Jones Ben Seibel for Jenfred Ware Brass Bookends

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.”