jack lenor larson
marimekko
via reference library
Jack Larsen was my mom's old boss, back in the 70s. The office was two floors in a building on 11th and University Place, and when I was 15 I spent the summer working in the shipping department downstairs with all the Cubans and Panamanians. I loved it. The whole company was like one big family, and Jack had the entire staff out to Longhouse that summer for a huge party with a roasted pig and the works. Such a nice man, and soooo gifted.
his bio from wikipedia. he seems to have made a bundle in the textile business. rare for a crafts person. another killer story justin!
Yes, Jack did very well for himself (and others!). Actually, before Longhouse was commissioned for the Hampton property, Jack lived in what were several African roundhouses, and those were what we saw when we went out there for the party. Damn, they were cool. I guess he had them torn down...
http://www.longhouse.org/index.ihtml
link activated. i noticed hes a cranbrook grad. i wonder if he did those nubby-tweedy upholstery fabrics popular in the 50's.
Jack's company was hugely influential for a lot of the fabric trends from then all the way through the 70s, yes.
One of my tasks that summer was taking inventory of the warehouse, which was HUGE. Every textile you can think of was in there! I can close my eyes and recall the smell, which was very pleasant, and now that I think about it the smell was organic, if that makes sense....
Oh, man, I just remembered, there was a THIRD floor, upstairs, where the ladies did the samples. I worked there over the Christmas season cutting samples, and learned to use all those amazing old textile scissors and shears....
i can imagine. burlap and jute by the bolt. ummmm. david davis (lafayette st nyc) art supply had linen bolts 8' tall.
My mom just told me she met Vladimir Kagan at one of the office parties, and that Jack and Kagan were very good friends for many years. Mark Pollack was a lead designer at Larsen for while, and now owns http://www.pollackassociates.com/ which is big. Angelo Donghia was always around, too.
My mom worked in the carpet department. Carpets and rugs and all of that fun stuff....
back when there was still light industry and warehouses in nyc. that was on university place? when it was still a two way street? i used to hit one U. (#1 university place, late 70's)
That's right, University was a two way street. I'd forgotten that....
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marimekko
via reference library
- bill 6-10-2010 3:14 pm
Jack Larsen was my mom's old boss, back in the 70s. The office was two floors in a building on 11th and University Place, and when I was 15 I spent the summer working in the shipping department downstairs with all the Cubans and Panamanians. I loved it. The whole company was like one big family, and Jack had the entire staff out to Longhouse that summer for a huge party with a roasted pig and the works. Such a nice man, and soooo gifted.
- Justin (guest) 6-10-2010 5:01 pm [add a comment]
his bio from wikipedia. he seems to have made a bundle in the textile business. rare for a crafts person. another killer story justin!
- bill 6-10-2010 5:35 pm [add a comment]
Yes, Jack did very well for himself (and others!). Actually, before Longhouse was commissioned for the Hampton property, Jack lived in what were several African roundhouses, and those were what we saw when we went out there for the party. Damn, they were cool. I guess he had them torn down...
http://www.longhouse.org/index.ihtml
- Justin (guest) 6-10-2010 8:19 pm [add a comment]
link activated. i noticed hes a cranbrook grad. i wonder if he did those nubby-tweedy upholstery fabrics popular in the 50's.
- bill 6-10-2010 8:53 pm [add a comment]
Jack's company was hugely influential for a lot of the fabric trends from then all the way through the 70s, yes.
- Justin (guest) 6-11-2010 1:19 pm [add a comment]
One of my tasks that summer was taking inventory of the warehouse, which was HUGE. Every textile you can think of was in there! I can close my eyes and recall the smell, which was very pleasant, and now that I think about it the smell was organic, if that makes sense....
- Justin (guest) 6-11-2010 1:22 pm [add a comment]
Oh, man, I just remembered, there was a THIRD floor, upstairs, where the ladies did the samples. I worked there over the Christmas season cutting samples, and learned to use all those amazing old textile scissors and shears....
- Justin (guest) 6-11-2010 1:27 pm [add a comment]
i can imagine. burlap and jute by the bolt. ummmm. david davis (lafayette st nyc) art supply had linen bolts 8' tall.
- bill 6-11-2010 1:36 pm [add a comment]
My mom just told me she met Vladimir Kagan at one of the office parties, and that Jack and Kagan were very good friends for many years. Mark Pollack was a lead designer at Larsen for while, and now owns http://www.pollackassociates.com/ which is big. Angelo Donghia was always around, too.
My mom worked in the carpet department. Carpets and rugs and all of that fun stuff....
- Justin (guest) 6-11-2010 1:37 pm [add a comment]
back when there was still light industry and warehouses in nyc. that was on university place? when it was still a two way street? i used to hit one U. (#1 university place, late 70's)
- bill 6-11-2010 1:46 pm [add a comment]
That's right, University was a two way street. I'd forgotten that....
- Justin (guest) 6-11-2010 6:33 pm [add a comment]