"In 1959 I asked myself why should only the rich be able to afford exclusive fashion, why not the man and woman on the street as well? I can change that! And I did." Pierre Cardin
Pierre Cardin was born in Italy in 1922, and moved to Paris in 1945. After World War II ended, he worked for the design houses of Jeanne Paquin, Elsa Schiaparelli, and Christian Dior before founding his own design house in 1950.
He was the first couturier to design pret-a-porter (ready-to-wear) clothing, for which he was expelled from the Chambre Syndicale (he was later reinstated, but then resigned in 1966 and shows his collections in his own venue).
His designs often include geometric shapes and motifs, as he sought to design for the future via an avant-garde sensibility.
Cardin created the bubble dress and opaque hosiery, and even developed his own new fabric, Cardine. His forethought and business acumen resulted in his becoming the first couturier to license his name on products outside fashion and to market Western haute couture in the Orient.
He has been named a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.