Legendary designer Pierre Cardin, whose futuristic and stylish designs helped revolutionise fashion in the 1950s and 60s, has died at the age of 98. In the brands heyday in the 1970s and 80s, his products were sold at some 100,000 outlets worldwide, though that number dwindled dramatically in later decades.
A savvy businessman, Cardin used his fabulous wealth to snap up top-notch properties in Paris, including the Belle Epoque restaurant Maxims. He was inducted into the Fine Arts Academy in 1992.
Born into poverty in 1922 near Venice in northern Italy, his family emigrated to France when he was a small child. “Italian by birth, Pierre Cardin never forgot his origins while bringing unconditional love to France,” said his family. On the brands heyday in the 1970s and 80s, his products were sold at some 100,000 outlets worldwide, though that number dwindled dramatically in later decades.
A savvy businessman, Cardin used his fabulous wealth to snap up top-notch properties in Paris, including the Belle Epoque restaurant Maxims. He was inducted into the Fine Arts Academy in 1992. The French designer, who was known for his avant-garde designs, broke into the Parisian fashion scene in the 1960s and 1970s with thigh-high boots and dresses of heat-molded synthetics. From chic to risible, Cardin made sure he left an indelible mark in all his outings.