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January CONTRACT/designer profile/6 of 8

"I hope to carry on in the tradition of the design revolution which existed at the start of the century. It was at once democratic and industrial, but was nipped in the bud by the war and the Depression. This is where my devotion lies."

Proof of his commitment to this esthetic are these Larsen "firsts": mechanically produced hand-wovens, printed velvets, and stretch upholstery, among a variety of other innovative introductions exhibiting technical foresight.

A designer who "likes best doing what he doesn't know how to do yet," Larsen is forever investigating and inquiring into new methods of production, as well as studying the traditions of primitive arts. He credits Peruvian weavers, whom he has visited regularly, as being his craft mentors. "For the people who are trying to compete with me, their role model isn't as good as mine!" he quips.

Larsen recently donated a collection of Peruvian textiles to the University of Washington and curated a show on this art form for the Edward Merrin Gallery, New York.

Exploring new forms of eclecticism

Evidencing Larsen's taste for an eclectic blend of old and new in an ever-widening menu, the firm's Studio walls recently displayed antique needlework samples alongside aerial photographs taken of landscapes.-- a curious juxtaposition. The photos,

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