Paper #1- Pierre Cardin's Life

A Peek Into Pierre Cardin’s Life

In Paris, we had an industry appointment at Pierre Cardin, and were able to see first hand at his incredible fashion archive. His collections were all but ordinary, with unique shapes and cuts, and nothing expected. The garments along with the one-of-a-kind furniture were very futuristic, as he is known for his “bold, cosmic, futuristic designs.” All of his designs have much volume and are very dimensional, ignoring the female figure. It was evitable that his architecture degree had much influence in his designs.

French designer, Pierre Cardin was born on July 7, 1922 near Venice, Italy into a wealthy family. At the time, his father was a wine maker and was preparing for Cardin to take over the family trade. But to his parents’ disappointment, he was fascinated by costume design, theatre, and stage design. Starting at the age of 14, he worked, as a tailor’s assistant, learning the techniques construction of fashion design.  In 1939, at the age of 17, Cardin left home and began making suits for women in Vichy. It was in 1945, when he made the move to Paris and started working at the house of Madame Paquin after he had completed his architecture degree. Which is pretty evident in his designs that architecture was a big part of his life. Then he later started working for Marcelle Chaumont, who was Madame Vionnet’s assistant. In a two-year time span from since his move to Paris, he had also worked for Schiaparelli, Jean Cocteau and Christian Bernard. Then in 1947, is when doors really opened up for Cardin, and became head of Christian Dior’s atelier, although he was denied at Balenciaga.

After three years of hardwork and devotion to Dior, he founded his own house in 1950 and began with haute couture in 1953, building up the Maison de Couture. Then the following year, Cardin opened up a women’s boutique called “Eve”, where his bubble dress stole the attention worldwide. And this was when he really took off as a designer, as we still see the bubble dress on runways and magazines and the like. Then a few years after the opening of Eve, in 1957 he opened a men’s boutique, rightly so called “Adam.” Cardin made his first trip to Japan that year and became a professor at Bunka Fukusoi, the Japanese Design College where the birth of the Pierre Cardin award started; which was awarded only to the best student.

After being expelled then reinstated from Chambre Syndicale, for launching a RTW for the Printemps department store, he parted from Chambre Syndicale in 1966 to show his own collections at Espace Cardin in Paris, which was once the Theatre des Ambassadeurs. Not only were his clothing designs presented at Espace, but also all of his artistic talents were promoted, including theatre costumes, musicians, etc. That year of the opening of Espace, Cardin presented a children’s collection, which blew away the U.S., and did very successful there. By now, Pierre Cardin was known worldwide, and not just in Paris. Years following, museums around the world held a Retrospective exhibition of Pierre Cardin’s work. Museums included the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY, Museum in Tokyo, and etc.

However, Cardin wasn’t only a genius at fashion design, but he also designed jewelry and other items to be sold for the UNESCO benefit, an educational effort to try and prevent a repetition of the nuclear accident in the Ukrainian republic of the Soviet Union in 1986. In 1991, Cardin, along with Witta Pohl, a German actress, were noted as honorary ambassadors to the Chernobly Program. Pierre Cardin’s name started showing up everywhere. As owner of the castle previously occupied by Marquis de Sade in Lacoste, France, he continued to purchase properties in Lacoste, leaving him with 42 buildings in 2009. However he has caused much controversy, leaving people to assume and treat Cardin as if he were some representative of global capitalism.

Yet, Cardin refuses to retire, and says he will die “in harness, working at his fashion.” It’s clear that Pierre Cardin’s passion is in design, whether it be clothing or furniture, and it’s obvious in his works. He continues to live a creative life without the fear of being wrong. His designs are always innovative and one-of-a-kind.

{own photo}

Sources:

1. Passariello, Christina. Wall Street Journal - Eastern Edition, 5/3/2011, Vol. 257 Issue 102, pB1-B8, 2p, 1 Color Photograph

2. Ballingall, Alex. Maclean's, 12/26/2011, Vol. 124 Issue 50, p31-31, 1/4p

By: Daisy O