Albers, Anni
Textile designer and printmaker, was particularly active in the 1940s and 1950s. In 1995 Jack Lenor Larsen was approached by her foundation to produce a collection of three rugs based on some of her 1926 designs.
Anderson, Winifred (Win)
Colleague and student of Jack Lenor Larsen’s when he worked at the University of Washington. In 1953 Anderson joined Jack Lenor Larsen in New York as Production Manager when he set up Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated. She later became Vice President of Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated and President of Larsen Design Studio until ill health forced her to retire in 1977. Anderson was formerly a faculty member at the University of Minnesota in the 1950s.
Baldwin, Ben
A furniture designer and fellow Cranbrook graduate who designed furniture for Jack Lenor Larsen.
Baldwin, Crans
Well-known interior designer and client of Jack Lenor Larsen.
Benson, Dianne
A fashion designer and friend of Jack Lenor Larsen who became chair of Larsen’s home, LongHouse Reserve, when he opened the grounds to the public.
Bloom, Brad
Outside Sales Representative for Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated from 1988-1998.
Carr, Bob
Met Jack Lenor Larsen in the mid-1940s when they both took courses at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) and later bought yarns from Dorothy Hulse’s shop in California when Jack Lenor Larsen was working there. Carr joined Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated in 1954, taking over from Win Anderson as Production Manager. He left for California in 1976 to open the first Larsen studio outside New York and was particularly involved with the production in Haiti, eventually buying a house there. Carr worked for Jack Lenor Larsen for 35 years, ultimately as President.
Cerf, Gerry
Director of Marketing at Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated.
Chihuly, Dale
A would-be weaver whom Jack Lenor Larsen encouraged to become a glass sculptor. His glass sculptures are renowned throughout the world.
Cooper, Crystal
Personal Assistant at Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated.
Cooper, Philip (Phil)
President and Chief Executive Officer at Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated.
Dalle, Ariane
Design Director of the Manuel Canovas design studio in Paris, a brand of Cowtan & Tout. Dalle worked with the Larsen Design Studio in the 1990s. The Larsen line moved to Paris in the 2010s under her stewardship.
Denno, Nancy
A salesperson at Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated.
Dettinger, Ernst
Furniture designer who created a furniture range for Jack Lenor Larsen Furniture Collection from 1980 onwards.
Diffrient, Niels
Architect and cohort of Jack Lenor Larsen’s at Cranbrook Academy of Art. He later married Helena Hernmarck.
Erickson, Ann
Interior Design faculty member and part of the team at the University of Minnesota who helped to bring the Jack Lenor Larsen archive to the Goldstein Museum.
Field, Manning (Manny)
Vice President and business adviser at Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated, remaining there for 29 years. Field originally met Jack Lenor Larsen circa 1955 when he was president of Thaibok in Thailand.
Gedeohn, Paul
Artist and principal graphic designer, colorist, and head of printing at the Larsen Design Studio, worked there from 1957 for nearly 30 years. Gedeohn met Jack Lenor Larsen atCranbrook.
Guarnieri, Ellen
Employee at Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated, between 1961-90 rising to the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.
Hardy, Hugh
Architect with the firm Hardy Holzman Pfieffer Associates and friend of Jack Lenor Larsen. They particularly worked together in 1987 on the RCA building at the Rockefeller Center, New York.
Hernmarck, Helena
Tapestry weaver and friend of Jack Lenor Larsen. Later married Niels Diffrient, a fellow student of Jack Lenor Larsen’s at Cranbrook.
Huggins, Frank
National Sales Director for Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated and, later, President.
Hulse, Dorothea
A weaver who ran the weaving studio Handcraft House in Los Angeles where Jack Lenor Larsen taught while living in California in the 1940s.
Jereb, James (Jim)
Arrived at Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated in 1975 when he became the second President. Jereb was Harvard educated and, following a successful career at Western Electric and AT&T, he arrived to control the financial side of the business. He remained at Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated for over 25 years.
Kahn, Louis
Renowned architect, and friend of Jack Lenor Larsen; Jack Lenor Larsen designed wall hangings for the Unitarian Church designed by Kahn in Rochester, New York.
Karanauskas, Ellie
Appointed secretary at Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated in 1972. Karanauskas later became a Sales Representative in the New York showroom; Sales Director of the new Seattle showroom in 1984; was appointed to the Chicago showroom in 1986; and was finally appointed National Sales Director in 1989.
Koch, Michael
Designer in the Larsen Design Studio.
Kooper, Anne Meike
A Dutch weaver who worked at Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated as part of her graduate training.
Lambert, Susan
Head of Finance at Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated.
Le Maire, Eleanor
Well-known interior designer and client of Jack Lenor Larsen.
Lee Jofa
A furniture and furnishings company created in 1965 by two long-established firms. The Larsen line was carried in their showrooms until Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated established their own showrooms.
Lehrmitt, Susan
Textile Division Director at Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated.
Liebes, Dorothy
Textile designer and weaver famed for her innovative designs, particularly working in the 1930s and 1940s; Jack Lenor Larsen visited her studio in San Francisco.
Lunning, Winifred (Freddie)
Showroom manager in New York with responsibility for Personnel at Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated.
Marcus, Stanley
Chairman of retailer Neiman-Marcus and client of Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated; became a friend of Jack Lenor Larsen and was appointed to the board of Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated.
Marquez, Kay
Employed at Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated in the late 1960s rising to Vice President 30 years later, based in the New York showroom.
McFadden, David
Chief Curator and Vice President for Programs and Collections at the Museum of Arts and Design, New York City; curator of an exhibition of Larsen’s textiles at the Museum of American Craft.
McFarlane, Livi
Head of the Shipping Department at Jack Lenor Larsen 30 years later.
McIntyre, Jean
Weaver for Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated in the 1950s.
Nielsen, Rose Marie
Head of the Sample Department at Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated.
Niemeyer, Oscar
Brazilian architect, a key figure in the development of modern architecture, particularly in New York, whom Jack Lenor Larsen worked with.
Odegard, Stephanie
Carpet designer and friend of Jack Lenor Larsen, based at the New York Design Center.
Park, Miry
Appointed in 2000 to Vice President of Marketing at Cowtan & Tout which markets the Larsen brand, involved with creating the sales material for the products/designs.
Paulin, Pierre
A French furniture designer who collaborated with Jack Lenor Larsen in 1967 to produce the ribbon chair and mushroom stool which were upholstered in Jack Lenor Larsen’s Momentum fabric.
Pei, I. M.
Famed architect; Jack Lenor Larsen worked with his company designing carpets for the John Hancock Tower in Boston, a modernist glass structure.
Pollack, Mark
Designer in the Larsen Design Studio between 1976-87. Pollack later founded his own textile company.
Reichert, Stephen
Senior Executive at Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated, deputy to Jim Jereb in 1985.
Rossbach, Edward (Ed)
Weaving instructor at the University of Washington 1947-50. Jack Lenor Larsen became his assistant.
Rothschild, Stephanie
Studio Assistant in the Larsen Design Studio in 1977 before being promoted to Studio Manager, later titled Studio Director. Rothschild left the company in 1991.
Saarinen, Loja
Saarinen taught weaving at Cranbrook whilst Jack Lenor Larsen was a student there. She was married to the renowned designer Eliel Saarinen, the original Director of Cranbrook.
Scull, Lisa
Designer in the Larsen Design Studio. Scull later became a teaching faculty at the Rhode Island School of Design.
Shen, Lindsay
Director of the Goldstein Museum of Design at the University Of Minnesota, was instrumental in bringing part of the Jack Lenor Larsen archive to the Goldstein Museum.
Smith, Crosby
Marketing employee at Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated.
Stack, Krista
Employed in the Larsen Design Studio between 1994-99 rising to the position of Director of Design. Stack was educated at the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design and Brown University. She is the daughter of Lotus Stack.
Stack, Lotus
Textile Curator at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, was instrumental in bringing the Jack Lenor Larsen archive to Minneapolis. She is the mother of Krista Stack, who alerted her to the potential of the Jack Lenor Larsen archive.
Strengell, Marianne
Renowned textile designer who led the textile department at Cranbrook Academy of Art in the 1940s; Jack Lenor Larsen was one of her students.
Thompson, Jim
Founder of The Thai Silk Company Limited in 1951, was instrumental in reviving the Thai silk and textiles market. Thompson disappeared in mysterious circumstances in Malaysia in 1967.
Tokar, Karen (now Epstein)
Appointed Customer Service Manager to Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated in 1983. During her 17 years of service, she was promoted to Textile Division Director, and finally Vice President of Operations.
Tovin, Blake
Furniture designer who created a range of furniture for Jack Lenor Larsen’s furniture division.
Wakisaka, Katsuji
Senior Print Designer at Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated.
Walter, Bill
Photographer used by Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated.
Warner, Philip
Print designer at Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated.
Weitzner, Lori
Independent textile designer for Jack Lenor Larsen in the 1990s where she worked on several collections. She also ran her own wallcoverings business.
Westphal, Katherine
Well-known textile designer whom Jack Lenor Larsen met at the University of Washington. She married Ed Rossbach, Jack Lenor Larsen's weaving instructor.
Wright, Frank Lloyd
Famed architect and client of Jack Lenor Larsen’s. Wright used Jack Lenor Larsen’s fabrics in the Music Room at his home, Taliesin East.
Yu, Herman
Design Assistant at Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated.
Funding for these oral histories was provided by a Craft Research Fund Grant from the University of North Carolina, Asheville Center for Craft, Creativity & Design.
