Advancing Textile Craft Through Innovation: the Influence and Legacy of Jack Lenor Larsen

CRRE 5 (1) pp. 97–109 Intellect Limited 2014

Craft & Industry report

Stephanie Watson Zollinger University of Minnesota, USA

Advancing textile craft through innovation: The influence and legacy of Jack Lenor Larsen

Keywords Abstract advanced textile design Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated was founded in 1953 and quickly became one of the world’s leading textile design research producers, specializing in high-end fabrics for use in interior environments. Larsen was an innovative designer jacquard weaving and businessman who made significant contributions to the textile and design industries. Archival research and oral history interviews with Larsen and his former designers, executives, employees and colleagues were conducted to iden- craft textiles tify the ways in which Larsen advanced the textile industry. Analysis of the data found that Larsen innovated global collaborations in three areas of the textile industry: technology, globalization and corporate branding. His technology innovations provided the industry with new manufacturing techniques while producing consistently high-quality

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textiles. Larsen drew inspiration for design and manufacturing from his international work; he globalized the textile world. His business flourished through his ability to innovate in textile design and manufacturing in ways that gave Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated visibility as one of the first corporate brands.

Introduction In 1997, the textile design studio of Jack Lenor Larsen Inc. was purchased by the English firm Colefax and Fowler. The firm’s archives, covering 45 years of work, were donated to the University of Minnesota’s (UMN) Goldstein Museum of Design, the University’s Archive and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Jack Lenor Larsen is an American weaver specializing in fabrics for use in interior environments. Larsen is best known for his loomed fabrics, textured random-weave upholstery fabrics, grainy batiks, tufted leather rugs, printed velvets, airy cotton and Thai silks. For over 45 years (1952–1997), Larsen has been one of the foremost designers and producers of high-end textiles in the United States (Guerin and Watson 2001: 5). As a result of the Larsen Archive acquisition, a project was undertaken to better understand Larsen’s design legacy. Although there has been much attention and excitement concerning the aesthetic side of Larsen’s work, there is little research and focus describing his innovations and contributions to the textile world. Analysis of archived materials and interviews with Larsen and his former designers, executives, employees and colleagues were conducted over a period of two years. The interviews were intended to fill the void in the literature and complement data in the archives. The purpose of the research in this report was to identify the contributions made to the textile craft industry by Larsen through his company Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated.

Background Larsen was born on 6 August 1927, in Seattle, Washington. Intrigued with design, Larsen studied architecture and interior design at the University of Washington. He took a weaving workshop and found that weaving was ‘actual’, whereby the study of architecture was theoretical. Larsen became entranced by the physical nature of weaving, i.e., the hands-on experience (Randall 2005:48). Larsen graduated with a B.A. in weaving and then completed an M.F.A. in textile design at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan. Weaving gave him the chance to express, in tangible form, his interests in colour and texture (Simpson 1984: 226). In 1952, Larsen formed his first company, Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated. He explored the design possibilities of both hand and power weaving and converted many costly hand-weaving operations to the power loom. Propelled by this success, in 1958, Larsen introduced a design and colour consulting service and formed the Larsen Design Studio. This allowed him to consult with

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Figure 1: Larsen and Tree of Leif.

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architects and commercial interior designers on architectural projects and introduce new concepts of design and colour to the design industry (Beale and Hedgecock 1984: 64). In 1963, a third company, Larsen International, was opened in Zurich, Switzerland. The company was created to manufacture and distribute Larsen-designed fabrics for the international market. Additional branches opened in Stuttgart, Germany, and Paris, France (Feisst 1984: 48). The 1970s brought more global diversifica- tion to the company. In 1972, Larsen acquired Thaibok Fabrics Ltd, and Larsen Carpet and Leather was established in 1973 (Larsen 1998: 30). In 1997, the Larsen Company merged with Cowtan & Tout, the American subsidiary of the Colefax and Fowler Group of London, England (Figure 1).

Method The first goal of this project was to understand the scope of Larsen’s work by analysing collections in the Larsen archives (UMN) as a contextual framework to guide the interviews. Archival research included a review of press releases, advertising, magazine articles, correspondence and Larsen’s product and production files. This research assisted in documenting and understanding characteristics, technologies and specific fabrics that were significant to the advancement of textile design and manufacturing. Next, the author conducted in-depth interviews with Larsen and fourteen former Larsen designers, staff, colleagues and museum curators. The majority of the interviewees were selected in regards to proximity to New York City and their willingness to participate. On average, each interview was an hour and a half in length. Three former staff personnel were interviewed twice. As many former Larsen employees and Larsen, himself, are retired, there was a sense of urgency to this project. Without their stories, memories and input, an essential piece of textile craft history will be lost forever.

Findings This report covers the findings that emphasize how the legacy of Larsen’s studio has influenced advances in the field of textile craft. Textile craft as used in this study comprises practitioners who display an understanding of their chosen materials and an understanding of the traditions that have gone before. It implies knowledge and involvement from the initial design concept to finished fabri- cation. Three major innovations were identified and will be presented here along with their impact on the textile industry. The innovations are technology, globalization and corporate branding.

Innovation and technology A portion of Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated’s success clearly rested on the innovation of its designs and the quality of textiles produced, both of which depended on the technological changes implemented by Larsen. Lotus Stack, Curator of Textiles at the Minneapolis Institute of

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Arts, explained that ‘a hands-on approach was used with the understanding that design was more than pattern applied to a cloth. The two elements, cloth and pattern, had to be totally integrated to be a success’ (Stack 2009b). Most of the initial design and production team members were hand weavers and this idea was embedded in their consciousness. In addition, the collaborative atmosphere in the studio encouraged exploration of new ways to meet design challenges (Guerin and Watson 2001: 27). Several technological innovations identified in this study are discussed below. By the late 1950s, the Modern Movement had captured the minds of designers of commercial interior design. Larsen was challenged to produce drapery fabric durable enough to withstand the glare of curtain-walls, i.e., floor-to-ceiling windows, used in high-rise buildings. These tall, large windows presented problems for employees who needed glare and sun control yet wanted to take advantage of the daylight. Larsen’s innovative solution was Interplay, a highly practical fabric with the open-work look of basketry (Figure 2 – see remarkable image section, p. 140). The fabric is made from the synthetic substance Saran and has no residual stretch. The Saran yarn was incorporated into a warp knit structure and the finished cloth heat-set so it was flexible but dimensionally stable. This fire-resistant, soil-resistant, sun- and fade-resistant textile was technologically innovative, brought visibility to the company and advanced textile design by pushing technology in a new direc- tion (Hemphill 1983: 210). Another innovation was confirmed by a Larsen-generated press release in 1961, when he conceived the first stretch upholstery fabric (Larsen 1961). Larsen explained, ‘with the increasing importance of new manufacturing techniques in the late 1950s and early 1960s, particularly in moulded and sculptured furniture, stretch fabric was certainly a promising area to be exploring’ (Larsen 2009). Stretch fabrics such as Momentum and Firebird are made with textured Caprolan nylon and have modified two-way stretch properties that make them especially adaptable to curvi- linear, free-form furniture shapes. Larsen mentioned that he ‘liked the brilliance of colour that can be achieved with Caprolan; its lightness and toughness; its dry, toothy hand; and the forms it gives when stretched’ (2009). In the 1960s and 1970s, Larsen introduced bold printed velvets to the field. Designer Paul Gedeohn explained that prior to this time period, it was almost impossible to screen print complex patterns on traditional velvets. The dye could not penetrate the thick pile. Gedeohn confided that ‘he and Jack were challenged’. After extensive experimentation, Larsen successfully wove cotton velvet that was luxurious to the touch and had pile low enough to take the hand screen-print dye with no loss in colour intensity. This was innovative technology that advanced textile craft (Figure 3). The printed velvet fabrics for which Larsen’s company was particularly famous include Primavera, Caravan and Happiness (Gedeohn 2009).

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Figure 3: Primavera.

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Interviews also confirm that Larsen designed what is believed to be the first diagonal stripe weave and the first upholstery fabrics ever created for jet aircraft. In addition, he created a line of double cloths, which he refers to as ‘visual puns’ since they can be used with either side as the face of the fabric, forming positive/negative images of the same pattern (Larsen 2009). It was this continual pushing for new solutions that kept the studio of Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated at the forefront of design. Larsen was not afraid to explore unchartered territories, take risks and make difficult decisions (Stack 2009a). Larsen believed that ‘if you didn’t have failures, it meant you hadn’t been trying hard enough. Jack never lost that’ (Stack 2009b). Larsen saw a challenge or an unmet need, combined design with his understanding of manufacturing and produced a technology innovation that stunned the industry. These innovations took textile craft to a new level.

Innovation and globalization Fascinated with the architecture and structures of so-called primitive cultures, Larsen began travelling in the mid-1950s. In his travels to remote and primitive cultures, Larsen never ceased to observe and learn. Wherever he went, it was the craft that excited him. ‘One of the reasons I worked so much in the Third World’, Larsen said, ‘was because I related to craftsmen so much better that I related to industrialists’ (2009). It was from Laotian weavers, for example, that Larsen learned how to make ikat fabrics, whose distinctive patterns are achieved by a process of resist-dyeing that involves wrapping and dyeing the individual yarns before they are woven. As a result, Larsen developed the first production ikat fabrics. The earliest were weft ikats woven in Thailand, and later warp ikats were woven in Korea (Bayrd 1982: 127). Globalization had begun. Larsen was no mere imitator of ancient artisans but used his experience with global cultures as an impetus for design and manufacturing. Even as he was probing past centuries for their secrets, he was pushing the technique of textile manufacturing into the twenty-first century. Larsen was unique in his ability to discover mills scattered around the world that specialized in ‘short runs’ and could produce small orders. At one time, Larsen had arrangements with mills in 31 countries (Rothschild 2009). Many of his most outstanding textiles evolved from these global collaborations. For example, production records show that Chan Chan is a fold-dye fabric designed by an English woman, woven in Italy, dyed in East Africa with European chemical dyes using West African techniques, and distrib- uted in the United States. Larsen was utilizing global resources well before anyone else. Larsen saw potential in global collaborations – that was his genius. Larsen is known for taking a traditional weaving structure or technique from an indigenous culture and giving it a modern twist. For example, Larsen revitalized a nineteenth-century European

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technique called dévoré. Lotus Stack explained that dévoré was a technique first used by the European embroidery manufactures to create a lace-like, open effect. The process involves printing a caustic chemical onto a cloth that, when heated, will destroy some of the fibres but leave both solid and transparent areas. In 1969, Larsen took advantage of this technique with his creation of Oberon (Stack 2009b). According to an Irish Awakening Collection brochure, the vigorous scroll design is influenced by the ancient Irish carvings excavated at New Grange and Knowth (Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated 1969). Larsen used materials and patterns from global cultures as inspiration. For example, Larsen wanted to replicate the spirit of the mirror embroidery work of northwest India and Eastern Pakistan and he took a risk to create this in a theatre curtain. Theatre curtains were difficult to produce and often were not commercially successful when produced for interior designers’ projects. However, their visual appeal firmly established Larsen’s reputation (Marquez 2010). Magnum was designed as a curtain for the Phoenix Opera House (Figure 4). It was a magenta, machine-embroidered fabric backed with Mylar. Its development required considerable sampling to achieve the ideal tension and density for the machine embroidery to define the design; it took more than a year to produce. After considerable experimentation, a reflective polyester Mylar film was chosen as the ground cloth, which achieved Larsen’s concept of the mirror. Magnum was an immediate success and became Larsen’s signature fabric. Every designer in the country wanted a swatch in his/her studio, but little of it was ever sold. Many such unique fabrics remained in the line for twenty years and lost money, but established the Larsen reputation (Karanauskas 2009). During the span of his career, Larsen’s travel experiences became a source of inspiration for his textile design and technology. Interviews with former Larsen employees and colleagues suggest that the idea of reinterpreting ancient concepts into modern idiom has been Larsen’s most important contribution to the field of textile design. Larsen took inspirations from cultures around the world and transformed their patterns, colours, materials, and techniques into textiles that influenced and changed the textile craft and industry. He was one of the first to adapt ancient weaving and dyeing techniques to larger-scale manufacturing, turning out fabrics with complex textures, unusual patterns, rich colours and high technical qualities that were unavailable elsewhere. Larsen’s astute- ness was that he understood both the artisans’ sensibilities and market demands.

Innovation and corporate branding Clippings from trade publications reveal that Larsen was an early pioneer in licensing agreements with various manufacturers. His goal was to target a younger, broader audience and create lifestyle collections that were more accessible to them. In 1965, Larsen was approached by J. P. Stevens, a household linens manufacturer, to design their Fine Arts Collection of towels, sheets and blankets.

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Figure 4: Magnum.

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The collaborative approach between designer and manufacturer led Larsen to become one of the first designers to launch a licensed domestic textile line. Innovation did not stop with design licensing. While most patterned towels during this time period were printed, Larsen chose to create a pattern by utilizing the Jacquard weave. As a weaver, Larsen found terry cloth quite miraculous in transforming a thin, dull yarn into a resilient, lush velvet. He also discovered that the surface could be solid on one side and striped on the other. In Jacquard patterns, the solid and shaded stripes can be combined. Consumers responded positively to these towels and, within months, they became America’s best-selling bath towels (Larsen 1998). Larsen used his business acumen to license his designs and combined with his design and manufacturing experience created one of the first corporate brands. Newspaper clippings, dated 1985, from the Boston Herald and Long Island Newsday showcase Larsen’s extensive collection of textiles, wall coverings, rugs and domestics inspired by the work displayed in the Museum of the American Indian in New York City. The distinctive styles of the Navajo, Inca and Eskimo cultures are visible in Larsen’s textiles. The collection was named Terra Nova and a percentage of the royalties was given to the financially troubled museum. West Point Pepperell, the manufacturer of Martex textiles, was responsible for introducing this licensed collection, which was carried in several top department stores such as Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s. Larsen used his corporate brand to forge the license among manufacturer, retail stores and a design studio and also performed a public service. Early in his career, Larsen understood that corporate branding was the first thing that customers pay attention to. As a result, his name and plain weave logo appeared on everything – letterhead, envelopes, business cards, fabric labels and press releases. He knew that corporate branding added a certain charm, appeal and allure. As a result, the Larsen name and logo are recognized around the world. The marketing material preserved in the archive demonstrates the efficacy of a company very much in touch with its audience.

Conclusion Larsen textile designs have won numerous textile and design industry awards and have been sold in showrooms around the world. His work is in the permanent collections of some of the world’s major museums including the Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Art Institute of Chicago; the Victoria and Albert Museum, London; the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris; and the Museum Bellerive, Zurich. In addition, Larsen has had numerous one-man shows, including a retrospective at the Louvre’s Musée des Arts Décoratifs in 1981 (Larsen 1998: 42). Every once in a while there comes along a person of such protean energy, vision and imagina- tion that an entire field is altered. Such is textile designer Jack Lenor Larsen. Larsen’s influence is as

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deep as it is broad. His impact on contemporary textiles has been profound. His innovations reached into technology, globalization and corporate branding. His work changed textile design, craft and manufacturing, the interior design and architecture professions, branding design and marketing, as well as reaching into the common household. Not only was he a talented designer and innovative manufacturer, but a licensing pioneer and marketing genius. No one in the textile world can ignore what his design studio did with its worldwide operations, its consistent high-quality designs and products and, most importantly, its innovation. Seldom has one person been the instigator of so many significant advances that have changed the textile world. The Larsen Archive, located at the University of Minnesota and Minneapolis Institute of Arts, provides a wealth of information in allowing researchers and students to document the Larsen legacy. For instance, through a study of correspondence, designers’ production material, mill samples and press releases in the Larsen archive would likely uncover a nexus of relationships spanning multiple geographic locations and time periods. Alternatively, as design is where Larsen made his greatest impact, using the archive to understand the inner workings of the design studio, the nucleus and functioning of the company could be of interest in understanding the successful operation of the firm. Overall, the value of the archive is that it demonstrates design as a multifaceted activity, encompassing not only the creative process, but also innovative methods of production, marketing and retail merchandising (Lathrop and Shen 2001). Oral interviews, now available online (goldstein. design.umn.edu/collection/jll/), supplement the material in the archive with stories, memories and facts. Together, the Larsen Archive and the online Jack Lenor Larsen Oral History Project connect people and processes over time and place, and demonstrate the relationship of the smallest part (the individual textile) to the larger social, cultural and economic spheres.

Acknowledgement This work was supported by a Craft Research Fund grant from the University of North Carolina, Center for Craft, Creativity and Design.

References Bayrd, E. (1982), ‘Genius at the Loom’, Connoisseur, June, pp. 125–29. Beale, L. and Hedgecock, C. (1985), ‘Making it in crafts’, Venture, May, pp. 64–65. Feisst, B. (1984), ‘Meeting Swiss carpet friends’, Interiors/Textile Suisses, August, pp. 47–49. Gedeohn, P. (2009), Interview, in-person, Gedeohn Residence, New York, NY, 21 May. Guerin, D. and Watson, S. (eds) (2001), Interplay: Perspectives on the Design legacy of Jack Lenor Larsen, St. Paul: Goldstein Museum of Design Exhibition Catalog.

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Hemphill, C. (1983), ‘Jack Lenor Larsen: Textiles that weave a spell’, Town and Country, March, pp. 206–13. Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated (1969), Irish Awakening (Brochure), New York: Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated. Karanauskas, E. (2009), Interview, in-person, Pollack Showroom, New York, NY, 21 May. Larsen, J. (1961), ‘Stretch Fabric press release’, Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated, New York, NY. —— (1998), Jack Lenor Larsen – A Weaver’s Memoir, New York: Abrams. —— (2009), Interview, in-person, Larsen Residence, New York, NY, 21 May. Lathrop, A. and Shen, L. (2001), ‘Learning from Larsen: The value of the archive’, in D. Guerin and S. Watson (eds), Interplay: Perspectives on the Design Legacy of Jack Lenor Larsen, St. Paul: Goldstein Museum of Design Exhibition Catalog, pp. 37–46. Marquez, K. (2010), Interview, in-person, Marquez Residence, New York, NY, 19 February. Randall, N. (2005), ‘Weaving and the natural world’, Modern Carpets +Textiles, Autumn, pp. 48–55. Rothschild, S. (2009), Interview, in-person, Rothschild Residence, New York, NY, 19 May. Simpson, J. (1984), ‘Jack Lenor Larsen – A structural approach to fabric’, Architectural Digest, April, pp. 226, 230–32. Stack, K. (2009a), Interview, in-person, Stack Residence, Brooklyn, New York, 20 May. Stack, L. (2009b), Interview, in-person, St. Paul, MN, 17 November.

Suggested citation Watson Zollinger, S. (2014), ‘Advancing textile craft through innovation: The influence and legacy of Jack Lenor Larsen’, Craft Research 5: 1, pp. 97–109, doi: 10.1386/crre.5.1.97_1

Contributor details Stephanie Watson Zollinger, Ed.D., is an associate professor of Interior Design at the University of Minnesota. She holds Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Interior Design from Kansas State University, as well as a doctoral degree in Adult Education from the University of Arkansas. As an interior design scholar, Zollinger has worked extensively with the Larsen Collection that is now archived at the University of Minnesota and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Results of her archival research have been disseminated in exhibition catalogs and through academic presenta- tions and manuscripts.

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Contact: Department of Design, Housing, and Apparel, College of Design, University of Minnesota, 240 McNeal Hall/1985 Buford Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA. E-mail: [email protected]

Stephanie Watson Zollinger has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work in the format that was submitted to Intellect Ltd.

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