Futuristic designer turns to plastic

Celebrated as one of the pioneers of midcentury biomorphic modernism -- objects based on living organisms -- Vladimir Kagan has long been a designer with a futurist streak. At 82, he is still hard at work, posts on Facebook and Twitter and even writes his own cheeky blog at vladimirkagan.com. One recent post featured his photos of, and ruminations on, urinals and sinks.

Kagan recently premiered his first works in fiberglass: a crescent-shaped lounge chair, above, and an anvil-like ottoman made with the help of Ralph Pucci International, which also manufactures fiberglass mannequins designed by fashion designer Anna Sui, Parisian interior decorator Andrée Putman and fashion illustrator Jeffrey Fulvimari. The furniture is priced like art. The chair ($7,500) and ottoman ($2,500) are limited editions available in bone, black and foundry gray, which looks like graphite and is pictured here. The set in clear fiberglass is a whopping $16,500. Ralph Pucci at the Pacific Design Center; (310) 360-9707; ralphpucci.net.

-- David A. Keeps