In his New Canaan, Connecticut, home, Reed Krakoff displays Felt Suit (1970) by Joseph Beuys along with a table by Jeroen Verhoeven and a chair by Diego Giacometti.
Photo: Melanie Dunea
Reed Krakoff Reveals His Connection to a Work by Joseph Beuys
The consummate collector and creative mastermind behind John Hardy talks about his affinity for one of the artist’s famed pieces
I’ve long been a fan of artist Joseph Beuys and always loved this series of felt suits. I’m drawn to it because it’s so different and sort of transcends art, design, and fashion. It’s hard to qualify, and I’ve always collected across those lines. You don’t really see these suits too often; after looking for a bunch of years, my wife, Delphine, found one at auction in Europe and surprised me for my birthday.
In his New Canaan, Connecticut, home, Reed Krakoff displays Felt Suit (1970) by Joseph Beuys along with a table by Jeroen Verhoeven and a chair by Diego Giacometti. Photo: Melanie Dunea
It’s displayed in the entry of our home in Connecticut next to a pair of Diego Giacometti chairs and a table by Jeroen Verhoeven that fall into that category between art and design. The artwork is something you hang on a wall, but it certainly is something that defies description—do you call it a sculpture? Do you call it an installation?
I’m attracted to things that surpass easy classification. It’s a tailored suit, but it’s made of felt. This idea of providing utility with luxury, sort of opposing characteristics, something made of an industrial textile that you could think of as fashion—its essence has been a touchstone for my work for many, many years. It’s these combinations that have really led my design thinking.
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2025 Spring Issue in the section “In Focus.” Subscribe to the magazine.
Cover: In his New Canaan, Connecticut, home, Reed Krakoff displays Felt Suit (1970) by Joseph Beuys along with a table by Jeroen Verhoeven and a chair by Diego Giacometti.
Photo: Melanie Dunea
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