Photo: Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images
On Tuesday, the Academy of Fine Arts of France announced in a declaration on Twitter that French stylist Pierre Cardin passed away. Cardin, 98, is best known for his mod designs from the 1960s. His family confirmed to Agence France-Presse that he died in a hospital outside Paris.
Born Pietro Cardin in 1922, outside Venice, the designer became known as Pierre after his family moved to France in search of a refuge from fascism. Cardin graduated as a tailor from a young age and, after serving as a tailor for Christian Dior during the New Look era, founded his own brand of the same name in 1950.
In 1959, Cardin launched the first ready-to-wear collection at the Printemps department store – a visionary movement that temporarily expelled him from the governing body of French haute couture. In the 1960s, he again broke the tradition with his futuristic unisex designs, which defined the fashion of the space age. Cardin was also one of the first designers to enter Japan, China and Russia, eventually pioneering modern brands by licensing his name for accessories, furniture, household products and fragrances. The Beatles, Barbra Streisand, Jackie Kennedy and Naomi Campbell were some of the celebrities who used their designs.
“It is a very sad day for our entire family. Pierre Cardin is gone, ”his family said in a statement. “We are all proud of his tenacious ambition and the boldness he has shown throughout his life.”