Fashion Giant Pierre Cardin dies at 98

Fashion Roundtable are saddened to learn that the French fashion giant Pierre Cardin has died at the age of 98.

Cardin started his career in Paris after World War Two, and by the 1960s had become one of the preeminent names in European fashion. He also became the first designer to hold a fashion show in Red Square in Moscow in 1991, drawing a crowd of some 200,000.

Cardin was revered for his avant-garde, futuristic and experimental designs. But he also created a business model which became the model for the modern fashion industry, pioneering the use of licenses for brands. In Cardin’s case, this meant his name was on everything and anything, from a hairdryer to alarm clocks. “Everything is Pierre Cardin,” he told The Independent in 2003.

Speaking of his innovative business ideas, Cardin said: “My great stroke of genius was ready-to-wear at a time when there was only haute couture. They told me it would not last two years. I charged on, believing in my idea. I was criticised, made fun of.”

In his 98 years, Cardin has undoubtedly lived many lives. He has played the role of architect, landowner, restaurateur, retailer, theatre producer, perfumer to furniture, product and fashion designer but above all, salesman.

“He was the innovator and moderniser of fashion, not just on the catwalk with his futuristic designs, but also in the shift to pret-a-porter and as a businessman who pushed forward the ideas of success with licensing deals for everything from boxer shorts to bedding sets. His creativity will be missed”, said Tamara Cincik, CEO of Fashion Roundtable.