Vladimir Kagan was born in Germany in 1927, but emigrated to the US with his parents in 1938 as the result of the rise of fascism in that country. He started out with an interest in painting and sculpting, then went to the School of Industrial Art where he graduated in architecture in 1946. He then attended Columbia University where he also studied architecture. He had a strong influence in furniture construction from his father who was a master cabinet-maker who he joined in this endeavor in 1947. By 1949, he had opened his own shop and in 1950 started a new showroom in New York with a partner.
At this time, he quickly developed a favorable reputation that lead to corporate and celebrity clientele such as Disney, General Electric, Marilyn Monroe and Gary Cooper. In 1949, he received Good Design Award from the Museum of Modern Art. He has received numerous awards and honorary degrees and has chaired design committees and lectured extensively. He was a faculty member of the Parsons New School of Design.
Kagan is mainly known for his sinuous, sculpted chair frames. Very organic and sculpted, his wood furniture is more favorable to the curve and the rounded edges than any rectilinear shapes. However, his furniture is not overly embellished, yet functional and comfortable. Not only wood, but he also worked with cast iron and aluminum.
In the mainstream of Mid Century Modern design, Kagan offers a bit of his unique flair with the spiky legs of his wooden chairs and the soft, smooth contours of his upholstered sofas and chairs.
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