Claude Iverné/Creative Commons 3·0

Top: Pierre Cardin’s official portrait in 1992. Above: The cover of the book accompanying Pierre Cardin’s 60th anniversary retrospectives in 2010.

Legendary fashion designer Pierre Cardin died December 29 aged 98, according to the Académie des Beaux-Arts, of which he had been a member since 1992.
   Born Pietro Costante Cardin in Treviso, Italy to a working-class family, he would find himself in France in his youth. His parents, along with their 11 children, headed to St Etienne, France, and he became a tailor’s apprentice as a teenager.
   Although fascinated by architecture, he stuck with the clothing trade, joining Paquin, the couturier, in Paris in 1944. At Paquin, he helped cut and sew the costumes and designed masks for Jean Cocteau’s film La Belle et la Bête along with Christian Berard. He also apprenticed with Elsa Schiaparelli.
   Cocteau introduced him to Christian Dior, where he was appointed the head cutter for coats and suits for the designer’s New Look collection, which appeared in February 1947. Branching out on his own, with the new company located at 10 rue Richepanse, Cardin began designing masks and costumes for the theatre, and attracted a clientèle that included Rita Hayworth and Eva Perón. The commissions allowed him to take over the rest of the premises.
   In 1951, André Oliver joined the firm and became Cardin’s friend and right hand, and who created the haute couture with him.
   By 1953, Cardin, now at premises on the rue du Faubourg St-Honoré, showed his first proper collection, and in 1954, he eschewed the feminine form and tradition by showing the “bubble” dress.
   He became a member of the Chambre Syndicale but left soon after, finding its rules cumbersome, and in 1959 he showed his first prêt-à-porter show at Printemps. This expanded his brand’s reach, but at the time it was unprecedented: couturiers did not take themselves downmarket. The same year, Cardin travelled to Japan and recognized the potential of Asia.
   The following year, he showed his first men’s collection, Cylindre, and established a men’s prêt-à-porter and accessories’ department. Eventually, supporters included Gregory Peck and the Beatles, who wore Cardin’s collarless suits.
   Cardin understood the relationship between haute couture and prêt-à-porter all too well, arguably before many others: the former would grab the headlines and could act as a loss leader, while the latter was where money could be made thanks to economies of scale. By 1963 he had launched a women’s prêt-à-porter department. The same year he met actress Jeanne Moreau when he was commissioned to design the costumes for her film La baie des anges. The two had a relationship for some five years, which additionally helped Cardin’s profile. However, Cardin identified as gay and Oliver was, with the exception of this period, his partner in life as well as in his work, until Oliver’s death in 1993.
   In the ’60s, Cardin, along with André Courrèges and Paco Rabanne, created what were regarded as futuristic, space-age designs, inspired by the decade’s forays into the space by the Soviet Union and the US. He even developed a synthetic fabric, Cardine, which Lauren Bacall wore. Another celebrity connection was the menswear for Patrick Macnee’s John Steed in the British TV series The Avengers.
   In 1970, Cardin took over the Théâtre des Ambassadeurs, turning it into the Espace Pierre Cardin, which celebrated the arts. Cardin was impressed by Jean Paul Gaultier’s sketches and gave the 17-year-old his break into the industry. During this decade, his business expanded massively to some 100,000 outlets.
   From a business perspective, he was known for licensing his brand name to a wide variety of products, many outside fashion (inter alia, cigarettes, frying pans and soaps), and claimed to have been involved in their creation. With a mistrust of bankers and lawyers, Cardin did the licensing deals himself. In 1972, Cardin launched his first men’s fragrance, Pour Monsieur.
   While still firm in the grips of communism, Cardin showed in mainland China in the late 1970s, believing the country would eventually open up and become a major economic force. In 1981 he opened a boutique in Russia, then still part of the Soviet Union. Cardin was one of the designers who showed power suits in the 1980s.
   Cardin spent his wealth on properties as well as purchasing Maxim’s restaurant in 1981, which he also grew, with additional branches, and here, too, he licensed the name beyond its original scope. Also in 1981, he launched a women’s fragrance, Choc. In 1983, he was made a Knight of the Legion of Honour and decorated as Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres.
   In 1991, Cardin held a fashion show in Moskva’s Red Square to an live audience of 200,000, the first time such an event took place in Russia. He was promoted to Officer of the Legion of Honour and became an honorary UNESCO ambassador; in 1997 he was promoted again to Commander of the Legion of Honour. By 2001, no longer doing regular collections, he bought the Marquis de Sade’s castle, Lacoste, in Provence.
   He remained active well into his 90s, with even Lady Gaga donning Pierre Cardin at one stage. He continued to mentor younger designers and visit his Paris office.

It is an empirical fact in most countries that immigrants contribute positively to the economies of their host countries and to job creation, and IMM, a footwear brand produced by immigrants using sustainable methods, seeks to build on that.
   Using surplus materials, including high-quality leathers, from luxury brands, IMM’s ‘home shoes’ are made by immigrants in Spain, while designed by immigrants in Paris.
   The company trains its staff and aims to give them hope. It believes everyone has the right to a home.
   Co-founder Joanne Tsai said, ‘Our motto is simple, the more shoes we sell and the larger we grow, the more positive impact we create for immigrants.’
   IMM’s other co-founder, Belén H. Sánchez, added, ‘With multiple crises that lead millions of people losing their homes, finding alternative ways to help is the core of our brand.
   ‘We start by nurturing and offering jobs to skilled immigrants. The goal is that through economic empowerment, they can rebuild their homes, improve their lives, and contribute to the economic growth in their host countries.’

Versace Eros eau de parfum hits counters in New Zealand on January 7, priced at NZ$165 for 100 ml.
   A woody, oriental scent, it has head notes of Italian lemon and mandarin, mint oil and candied apple, a heart featuring geranium, sage and Ambermax, and end notes of cedarwood, vetiver, patchouli, sandalwood and vanilla.
   This masculine scent is said to embody excess and power, as envisaged by Donatella Versace. Retailers include Farmers, Life Pharmacy, Smith & Caughey, Ballantyne’s, H. & J. Smith and select David Jones stores.

   Jean Paul Gaultier’s Le Male Pride sees the well known fragrance in a limited-edition can, on shelves in New Zealand in February, retailing at NZ$158 for the 125 ml eau de toilette at Farmers, Life Pharmacy, Smith & Caughey, Ballantyne’s and H. & J. Smith.
   With the unexpected notes of mint and vanilla, the scent celebrates tolerance and our differences. Both the bottle and can bear a rainbow flag.

   Also débuting in February—on the 7th—is Carolina Herrera’s Good Girl eau de parfum légère, an oriental fragrance with a softer jasmine, namely the jasmine sambac imperial, and tonka. Recommended prices begin at NZ$115 for the 30 ml, rising to NZ$168 for the 50 ml, and NZ$218 for the 80 ml, at Farmers, Life Pharmacy, Smith & Caughey, Ballantyne’s and H. & J. Smith.

Charlotte Casiraghi, the granddaughter of the late HSH Princess Grace of Monaco, and the daughter of Caroline, Princess of Hanover, has been named Chanel’s newest ambassador.
   Casiraghi is no stranger to modelling, having worn Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent professionally. Additionally, she is no stranger to the press, having worked in journalism and publishing. In 2012, Karl Lagerfeld photographed her for the book The Little Black Jacket: Chanel’s Classic Revisited, by Lagerfeld and Carine Roitfeld. She holds a degree in philosophy and is the president of the Rencontres philosophies de Monaco, which she founded, with the aim of celebrating and promoting philosophy. She is also an accomplished equestrienne.
   With the announcement by Chanel, she will appear in the house’s spring–summer 2021 ready-to-wear collection by Virginie Viard, and photographed in Monaco by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. The campaign will be shown on January 1.
   Chanel says that the house, along with Viard and Casiraghi, will unveil a project called Les Rendevous littéraires rue Cambon, which will bring together female writers and actresses, to share their perspectives on their own work or those of other literary figures, during 2021.
   The first event will be held on January 26 at 31, rue Cambon.

Scents that travel
Often profiled in our travel section, including some memorable features from personal visits by our travel editor, Stanley Moss, Aman finds itself in a beauty story as it launches five 50 ml eaux de parfum created by master perfumer Jacques Chabert.
   They follow Aman’s foray into skin care in 2018, and its wellness supplement brand, SVA, in September 2020.
   The new scents are gender-neutral, with each inspired by an Aman destination. Vayu has been inspired by Amanpuri in Thailand, conveying the freshness of summer and crashing waves; Ayom, inspired by Amanjiwa in Indonesia, is what Aman calls a ‘deep, dramatic and complex’ scent with a sense of rarity; Umbr, inspired by Aman Venice, is an opulent, layered scent, with hints of oak, leather and spice; Zuac, inspired by Amanjena in Morocco, is described as ‘warm ochre combined with drifting spice’; and Alta, inspired by the forthcoming Aman New York, is a bold, urban scent. All scents are phthalate-, paraben- and formaldehyde-free.
   The bottles are designed by renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, and crafted in Japan from Paulownia wood, made from a fast-growing tree. The case is reusable.
   The scents are available at the Aman Shop and at the resorts’ boutiques. A further two scents are due in the spring.

For healthy hair

Here’s a brand that’s still a relatively well kept secret outside France: Ella Mae, a hair care brand using only sustainable organic ingredients sourced in Provence. Founded by a brother–sister duo in 2019, Ella Mae addresses common problems such as brittle and thinning hair, slow growth and dry scalp. Karanja oil is used throughout the range, with 100 per cent natural antioxidant protection for hair colour from repeated shampooing and UV rays. All ingredients are paraben- and sulphate-free, and never tested on animals. Most unusual is the use of snail slime, which has some of the best moisturizing compounds in nature, and is beneficial for hair and scalp. Find out more at ellamae.com. Lucire readers can get 30 per cent off with the code LUCIRE30.

Best in the land
The Luxury Lifestyle Awards in New York has announced that Diamond Laser Medispa, in Taupō, New Zealand, has been given the status of the Best Luxury Medical Spas in New Zealand. A beauty spa and skin clinic, it was founded in 2013 by Olivia Blakeney-William, and has competencies in appearance medicine, advanced skin treatments, tattoo removal, IPL, and diode laser hair removal.

Summer fresh



Evesome, the French boho chic label, has released its summer 2021 range, made of tweed, and 58 per cent cashmere, 42 per cent linen. Made in France, Eve de Rothiacob’s latest collection continues to use high-quality fabrics and luxury fibres, with each part made individually by hand. She says she is a fan of slow fashion, which means she crafts only two collections per year. There are tasteful clothing including kimonos, scarves, headbands, and bags. Find out more at www.evesome.com, or visit her showroom by appointment in Paris.

The Cube





Giòsa Milano, the label of craftsman Giorgio Santamaria, is already known for his crocodile bags and accessories that he makes from his premises at via Ciovasso al 6 in Milano, Santamaria. His latest creation is the Cube handbag, available in a number of colours—navy, fuchsia (our preference), black, Bordeaux, green and taupe—with a minimalist design and 1990s influences. It features double, flat handles, and a large compartment with zip and a flat pocket. The Cube is produced using traditional techniques and is intended to be a timeless design that is durable and versatile. Find out more at www.giosamilano.com.

Mask style

One of the most famous names in skiing, Bogner, has launched face masks, in a unique cotton knit fabric developed especially for this purpose. A set of two is available for €49·90 at www.bogner.com and selected retailers.