Pierre Cardin, the esteemed French fashion designer, died on Tuesday at 98.
Earlier in the day, his family confirmed his death to the Agence France-Presse. “It is a day of great sadness for all our family. Pierre Cardin is no more,” they said in a statement to AFP. “We are all proud of his tenacious ambition and the daring he has shown throughout his life,” the statement further read.
The designer, who was a son of Italian immigrants, died in the morning at the American Hospital of Paris in Neuilly, in the west of Paris, according to AFP. “Italian by birth, Pierre Cardin never forgot his origins while bringing unconditional love to France,” said the statement.
Known as a visionary, his avant-garde fashion was appreciated through the years. From fashion to accessories, jewelry, fragrances, furniture, and even restaurants, Cardin had signed his brand name on a wide array of things. “It’s all the same to me whether I am doing sleeves for dresses or table legs,” a quote by him reads on the official website.
Born on July 7, 1922, in Venice, Italy, he was most notable for making designer clothes. “Each of his collections is an evidence of a fierce appetite for experimentation,” the official website says about Cardin.
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After a stint with Christian Dior, he founded his fashion house in 1950 and introduced the famous bubble dress in 1954. He is also considered the first designer to sell clothing collections in departmental stores in the late 1950s. His 1964 “Space Age” collection remains a fashion history landmark to date.
From showing his strong presence in Japan to closing deals with Soviet Union and China, he was also the first designer to hold a fashion show in Red Square in Moscow in 1991, which drew a crowd of around 200,000.
After moving to Paris, he designed the sets and costumes for the film Beauty and the Beast with director Jean Cocteau in 1947. “We are all proud of his tenacious ambition and the daring he has shown throughout his life,” his family said.