Cardin, Pierre

Cardin, Pierre pyĕr kärdăN´ [key], 1922–, French fashion designer. He spent most of his early years working in Paris for such firms as Schiaparelli and Dior. He designed the costumes for Jean Cocteau's film Beauty and the Beast (1946). At first known as a designer of expensive clothing, he produced his first ready-to-wear line in the early 1960s. He is well known for his early astronaut suits, metal body jewelry, and futuristic look. His clothing is dramatic, bold, and often irregular in cut. His label appears on products as diverse as wines, bicycles, and toiletries. In 1979 he organized a trade agreement with the People's Republic of China to produce Pierre Cardin clothes. In 1991 he was made an honorary ambassador of UNESCO.

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