Pierre Cardin, whose real name is Pietro Costante Cardini, emblematic fashion designer of the eponymous brand, died on Tuesday December 29 at the age of 98.
It's a loss for the French fashion world. Pierre Cardin died on Tuesday, December 29, 2020, at the age of 98, his family announced to AFP. The great couturier will have led a life rich in encounters and surprises.
It all started on July 2, 1922 in San Biagio di Callalta, Italy. Pierre Cardin is the last of a family of six children. At a very young age, his parents decided to settle in France. He quickly developed a passion for fashion and went to Paris to try his luck in 1945. His first job took place with Jeanne Paquin and then with Elsa Schiaparelli, two great seamstresses of the time.
In 1946, he began working for Christian Dior, who had just opened his house. Four years later, he opened his own after buying the Pascaud house. The latter being specialized in stage costumes, he continues to create them for films such as La princesse de Clèves (1961) by Jean Delannoy. His first collection was presented in 1953 and his first boutique in Paris the following year.
Over time, Pierre Cardin imposed his style. Recognizable among all, it uses geometric shapes, (rounds, triangles...), "associated with the mixture of traditional materials and new synthetic materials" , can we read on the brand's website.
"Japan of the 60s, China of the 70s, unusual encounters, daily life but also social, cultural and industrial developments are inexhaustible sources of inspiration", he adds. In 1992, he was elected Member of the Institute - Academy of Fine Arts in the section of free members.
Apart from fashion, Pierre Cardin develops the brand by offering numerous derivative products (jewellery, perfumes, linens, umbrellas, pens, etc.). In May 1981, he also became the owner of Maxim's, and a few years later founded a museum dedicated to Art Nouveau on the second floor of the Parisian restaurant. From 1970 until 2016, he took care of the Espace Pierre Cardin in Paris where performances and exhibitions were organized.
On the private side, he shared the life of actress Jeanne Moreau for several years while assuming his homosexuality. Avant-garde, jack-of-all-trades, creative, Pierre Cardin will remain one of the greatest couturiers of the 20th and early 21st centuries.
