PIERRE CARDIN DIES, 98
His wild creations helped lead fashion’s space age
Celebrated designer Pierre Cardin, known for his groundbreaking contributions to the fashion industry and beyond, died Tuesday at age 98.
A cause of death was not included in Tuesday’s announcement by the French Academy of Fine Arts.
The French designer rose to fame in the 1950s and ’60s with his innovative, flamboyant outfits that helped define the Space Age era of fashion.
He was also an accomplished businessman who succeeded in marketing his releases — including clothing and many others items — to the public.
He created his own company in 1950, initially making theater costumes, and launched a true clothing collection three years later.
Cardin’s pieces attracted attention during his early years in the industry for their lively patterns and unique designs, with colorful gowns, shirts and capes among his pieces. His bubble dresses were a sensation during the 1950s.
“Fashion is always ridiculous, seen from before or after,” Cardin (photo) once said on French TV during the 1970s. “But in the moment, it’s marvelous.”
He made his clothing available in department stores during the 1950s, making him the first designer to do so.
Cardin’s reach extended well beyond the fashion world, too, with his name displayed on products such as bedsheets, accessories like watches, and food items.
“I had a sense for marketing my name,” Cardin said in 2007 during an interview with the German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung.
“Does money spoil one’s ideas? I don’t dream of money after all, but while I’m dreaming, I’m making money. It’s never been about the money.”
At one point, items by Cardin’s brand were sold in 100,000 different shops.
“The numbers don’t lie,” he told French TV in 1970. “I earn more from the sale of a necktie than from the sale of a million-franc dress. It’s counterintuitive, but the accounts prove it. In the end, it’s all about the numbers.”
His eagerness to branch out into the licensing realm was a pioneering initiative, as many other fashion leaders have since followed suit.
Cardin was born in the small Italian commune of San Biagio di Callalta, near Venice, in 1922. He was 2 years old when his family moved to France, and he grew up in Saint-Etienne.