Pierre Cardin - Victoria and Albert Museum

04/02/2015 PierreCardinVictoriaandAlbertMuseum

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/p/pierrecardin/ 1/1

Cosmosdayensemble,PierreCardin,1967.Museumno.T.75toF1974

PierreCardinTheclothesthatIpreferarethoseIinventforalifethatdoesntexistyettheworldoftomorrow.PierreCardinPast,Present,Future,1990.

PierreCardin(born1922)wasborninVenicetoFrenchparentsandeducatedinFrance.Aftertrainingasatailor,heworkedfortwoParisdesignhouses,PaquinandSchiaparelli.DiorthenemployedhimduringtheeraoftheNewLook.ManypeopleexpectedCardintosucceedDior,buthelefttosetuphisownfirmin1950.

DuringthefiftiesCardinopenedamenswearboutiqueinPariswherehesoldnew,informalmensgearlikecollarlessjacketsandrollneckjumpers.HemadecollarlesssuitswhichtheBeatleslaterstagecostumeresembled.

Byproducingareadytowearcollectionin1959,CardinbroketherulesofthetopFrenchcoutureguild.However,bydoingthishesoldclothingtoawiderpublicandmanydesignersfollowedhisexample.

Hisinterestinarchitectureshowedupinthegeometricshapeswhichbecamehistrademarkinthe1960s.Hisdressesweredecoratedwithcircularandrectangularmotifs.Hepreferredcrisp,suppletextileslikewoolcrepeandjersey,manufacturedbytheItalianfirmNattier.

Cardinwasalsofascinatedbynewspaceagematerialslikevinyl,silverfabricsandlargezips.Headdedmouldedplasticvisorstohelmetlikehatstomakethemresembleastronautsheadgear.Duringthe1960sCardinsoldwidelyintheUSandtheUKthroughdepartmentstoreslikeSelfridges.TodayCardinboutiquesworldwidesellawholerangeoffashion,accessoriesandtoiletries.