pierre cardin

www.pierrecardin.com

Pierre Cardin

Pierre Cardin is a fashion designer well-known for his avant-garde style.

He was born on July 7, 1922, near Venice, Italy, to French parents. In 1936, at the age of 14, he began as a tailor's assistant. In 1945 Cardin moved to Paris in France. There he studied architecture and worked with Paquin. Then he worked with Schiaparelli. In 1947 he began to work for Christian Dior while in 1950 Cardin created his own fashion house on Rue Richepanse in Paris. He presented his new collection in 1953. Not only avant-garde style made him famous but also his space age fashion designs. He likes geometric shapes and motifs, and often ignors the female form. His advanced unisex fashions were sometimes experimental, and not always very practical. In 1954 he triumphed throughout the world for introducing the "bubble dress".

In 1957 he travelled to Japan and taught there, becomming the first couturier to turn to Japan as a high fashion market.

He was one of members of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture et du Pret-a-Porter and of the Maison du Haute Couture in years 1953-1993 but in 1959 he resigned for presentation of a ready-to-wear collection for the Printemps department store as the first couturier in Paris, but was soon reinstated. However, in 1966 he was expelled from the Chambre Syndicale, now he presents his collections in own venue, the Espace Cardin, which one was opened in 1971 and situated in Paris, before the Theatre des Ambassadeurs. It is near the American Embassy. The Espace Cardin uses to help to new artistic talents, like musicians, theater ensembles and so on.

In 1971 his copesmate, fashion designer, named Andre Oliver, joined him. He assumed responsibility for collections of the haute couture in 1987. Andre Oliver died in 1993.

Like many other designers today, also Cardin decided in 1994 to show his collection only to a small round of prefered journalists and clients too.

In 1981 Pierre Cardin took control of the renowned restaurant, Maxim's, on the Rue Royale in Paris, in 1983 he opening Restaurant Maxim's in Peking and Restaurant Maxim's in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.
Pierre Cardin was also succssful in licencing a wide range of food products under this name.

He is also owner of some ruins of the castle in Lacoste, Vaucluse where was living Marquis de Sade before. Part of this castle was renovated the site and became itself to excellent place for organization of theatre festivals there.

His name is also mentioned in a song of Jonathan Richman titled "Everyday Clothes".

Pierre Cardin