French legendary fashion designer Pierre Cardin died at the age of 98. Cardin, who was born into a low-income family in northern Italy and emerged as a French fashion icon, died at a hospital in Neuilly.
“It is a day of great sadness for all our family. Pierre Cardin is no more,” said a statement issued by his family.
Born into a poor family in 1922 in Venice, the Cardin family migrated to France when he was a child.
“Italian by birth, Pierre Cardin never forgot his origins while bringing unconditional love to France,” said his family.
His creations adorn many stars until today, such as Elizabeth Taylor, Barbra Streisand, Jeanne Moreau, Jackie Kennedy, Charlotte Rampling, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.
Cardin was one of the first designers to take advantage of business from fashion, becoming a household name because of its great brand.
He also breaks tradition through his futuristic designs – and by producing famous unisex collections and ready-made collections at a time when both are effective.
One of his prominent fashions is the pink dress consisting of 3D shapes designed and made from the fabric of his own creation, Cardine, famously worn by actress Lauren Bacall in 1968.
Both of Cardin’s countries of origin gave recognition to him. In 1987, Italy named him the Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, while in 1991, France made him the Officer of the Legion of Honor. In the same year, UNESCO made the designer a goodwill ambassador.