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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.
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