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Pierre Cardin
Pierre Cardin was born on the 2nd of July of French parents
in San Andrea da Barbara, Italy. He is the world's richest fashion
designer and the first to have opened up markets in Japan in 1958,
in China in 1978, and later in Russia and Romania. He was the first
designer after the war to challenge London's Savile Row in the
production of menswear. He produces anything from ties to frying
pans and in 1959, he discovered the previously unexplored market of
ready-to-wear clothing. Because of this, he was heavily criticized
by the Chambre Syndicale, the monitoring body of the Parisian haute
couture. Cardin's trademarks are clearly the interest in the
sculptural qualities of cut and construction. Cardin's garments are
sparse and geometric, offset by large collars and peculiar
accessories, non the less maintaining a hard-edged minimalism.
Because of the use of heavy wool and jersey rib, Cardin is capable
of creating clothing that doesn't mold onto the body, but retain
their own structural outline. In the 1960's, his designs for women
remained somehow asexual, even when emphasizing the breast by the
use of cones, cutouts, molding, and outlines. For example, to
de-sex the minis that exposed much of the legs, he matched them
with thick opaque or patterned tights or thigh-high boots. Some may
consider that merchandising and licensing his name may have
diminished Cardin's influence in the last couple of years,
nonetheless his creativity and technical ability should be kept in
mind. |
