Geraldine (Gere) Kavanaugh (born 1929) is an American textile, industrial, and interior designer known for a multidisciplinary approach that spans fabrics, furniture, interiors, exhibitions, and public art. A pioneer in postwar American design, KavanaughâÂÂs work is characterized by its bold use of color, playful forms, and integration of various craft traditions.
Born in Memphis, Tennessee, she began formal art education at eight and later earned a BFA from the Memphis Academy of Arts. In 1952, she became the third woman to receive an MFA in design from the Cranbrook Academy of Art, joining the ranks of notable women alumni like Ray Eames and Florence Knoll.
After graduating from Cranbrook, Kavanaugh joined General Motorsâ Styling Division, becoming part of the all-female design team known as the âÂÂDamsels of Design.â There, she worked on exhibition designs, model kitchens, and promotional materials, contributing to projects like the 1958 âÂÂFeminine Auto Show.â Using net-like material to create three cages filled with live canaries, who sang when the lights were on, she also created a centerpiece in the middle which resembled a dress. Colored cellophane beneath the cages floors enhanced the dream-like atmosphere with reflections of rainbows on the floor. Completing the set were chiffon panels and white hyacinths. Kavanaugh advocated the use diversity and the importance of form's relationship to function.
In 1960, she left GM for a position in the Detroit offices of architect Victor Gruen, known as the father of the shopping mall. There, she designed interiors of retail stores and shopping centers across the country. The firm later moved to Los Angeles where she became friends with Frank Gehry. She later shared studio space with Gehry, Don Chadwick, and Deborah Sussman where she founded Gere Kavanaugh/Designs (GK/D) in 1964.
In 1970, Kavanaugh launched Geraldine Fabrics, producing a line of textiles that showcased her signature use of color and pattern. Although the venture was short-lived, it reflected her entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to design innovation.
KavanaughâÂÂs work is noted for its exuberant use of color, often drawing inspiration from nature and folk art. She has stated, âÂÂI love color; I could eat color,â emphasizing its central role in her designs.
KavanaughâÂÂs work has been featured in numerous exhibitions, including:
Her designs are part of permanent collections at institutions such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the American Textile Museum.
Over the years, Kavanaugh has designed ceramics, light fixtures, homes, store interiors, textiles, town clocks, and furniture. In the 1970s, she worked with furniture company Terra to design the âÂÂCalifornia umbrella.â Unable to patent the design, she started an alumni product archive at Cranbrook where alums could donate work which companies could reproduce and pay royalties directly to the school.
Kavanaugh lives in Angelino Heights.