His Heart Is Left In Space

The designer who is known for geometric shapes and motifs and space age designs – Pierre Cardin

Cardin was born in an era of wild fashion, a time which had never been as exciting as any other time in history. Revolutionary changes happened which have influenced all of us today. In many ways, Cardin’s avant garde style has acted as an accelerator, pushing the limits and taking us outside of traditional fashion boundaries.

He began as an apprentice for a tailor named Manby, and later worked with the Red Cross during World War II in Paris, where his fashion career was waiting for him. By then, he was only 17 years old.

After working for some prominent fashion icons like Jeanne Paquin, Elsa Schiaparelli and Christian Dior, he finally presented his own collection in 1951. The success of his “bubble dress” in 1954 had captured the world’s attention, and in the same year Eve was born, Adam arrived three years after — Cardin’s first boutiques for women’s and men’s wear.

Speaking of his contribution to men’s fashion, we owe it to his playful and artistic approach to help banish the ultra conservative period, replacing it with an avant garde style which slowly began to enter the mainstream. The collarless suit is a good example—a look which inspired the Beatles. Cardin’s modernist approach was indeed very ostentatious at the time.

Besides fashion, Cardin is also known for his interest in architecture which has given him a lot of inspiration. Without a doubt, his taste towards housing is very unique. He is very keen in being involved with architectural projects. Later in this article, we will take a look at his favourite -Palais Bulles by architect Antti Lovag.

With the arrival of the space age, the entire world was dazed by the space race between the USSR and the USA. Fantasy was as its peak, especially the genre of science fiction. Who didn’t dream to be up there—in the unexplored territory between the stars? In 1969, humans finally took their first steps on the moon. At that time, Cardin also took a leap forward in his era of space-age style and whirled the fashion universe that time. Cardin has a huge passion of the cosmos and he brought his dream clothes into reality with such features as skin-tight catsuits, space helmet, goggles, bodystockings, shiny vinyl, hammered metal jewelry, high-legged leather boots that resembled astronaut wear.

“The fashion world is astonished at his space age 3-D shift, and his “white breasts” dress. Cardin raises skirts 4″ above the knee and plunges necklines back and front to the navel. Sexy, yet androgynous and futuristic.” From the Diary of Linda Morand Paris November 1966

Novelty often receives both criticism and compliments. Cardin’s fashion was considered to be impractical. Although at first glance his designs might seem completely wired or outlandish, Cardin always has a special vision of the future of fashion, knowing what direction it will take. “His fans like him best when he is maddest and most creative,” wrote Eugenia Sheppard in her Inside Fashion column. Like it or leave it, what is important is that the history book can continue to be written as we flip to a new page.

Regarded as both the best costume designer in Paris in the 50s and also as one of the greatest figures in haute couture, he is also a courageous risk taker, and in fact was the one who start pret-a-porter in 1959. Other designers soon followed his lead.

He said in an interview: “Intelligent women work nowadays. They drive cars and the cars are getting smaller and smaller, while the dresses at Dior are getting bigger and bigger. It’s very beautiful, but it’s not fashion—it’s something else. It’s costume.” Today pret-a-porter dominates the market. Being ahead of his time, the trendsetter has shown the world again that the risk he took was worth it.

Today, at 89, he has stepped back from the fast-paced fashion world. While some other Parisian designers are putting together six shows per year, two seasons of men, women and couture. The speed of the fashion forward scene can sometimes be breathless indeed.

2011 was the 60^th anniversary of Pierre Cardin, he made a come back to Paris runway which showed 300 outfits. Here are some of the 21^st century futuristic looks from Pierre Cardin’s presentation in Barcelona this January, brought to you by Antipasto reporter Aurora Baldessin with photos taken by photographer Ruben Ginestós.

His obsession with geometric abstraction expands to other aspects of himself. As he notes: “Circle is my symbol.” Also, being a big fan of architecture, Palais Bulle seems to be the perfect match for Cardin. This spherical construction from another world is the masterpiece of Antti Lovag and holiday home to Cardin, who fell in love with it at first sight.

Given its breathtaking location—emerging between the rocks on the Cote d’Azur with a 180 degrees panorama of the Mediterranean Sea—combined with its cutting edge shape, makes it a perfect fit for a fantasy story. “If there is a paradise, at least I’d like it to be like this.“

Take a glimpse inside the villa, and you’ll discover that everything is curved and rounded. He would often compare it with the sensual shapes of a woman’s body, the appeal of a more natural home in harmony with human morphology. The walls of this spherical maze extend in all directions, creating many bubbly caves, as its name “The Bubble Palace” suggests. Oval doors lead to more tunnels of corridor which sew the multi domes into a single house with capacity for 350 people. The openings at the ceiling allow a pleasant glow of natural light to come through, with some of them leading to the swimming pool area which includes a small fountain.

In this house, with its absence of vertical partitions and angles, Cardin’s unique collection of furniture is showcased—the round eye TV from the 70s, circular bed, curving shelves and many other items of his own design.

“Here, I found the place that allowed me to incorporate what I had dreamed and collected, possibly for a future museum. It is certain that in 10 or 15 years it will have great cultural design resonance.”

by Athena Choi

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