The definitive ‘look book’ on the très chic life of Pierre Cardin.
In recent years, a parade of high-fashion documentaries has strutted down cinema’s catwalk, covering couture creators in docs such as Valentino: The Last Emperor, L'Amour Fou, Dior and I, and the fabulous McQueen. Fascination with the artist behind the apparel continues in House of Cardin. At the age of 98, designer Pierre Cardin continues to work: sketching, creating and executing his visions.
The Italian-born designer, now synonymous with France, fled with his family after losing everything in WWI. Dreaming of a life in fashion, the young tailor began his career with an uncredited role making costumes for Jean Cocteau’s French classic La Belle et la Bête before becoming a part of Dior’s ground-breaking ‘new look’ in the late 1940s. With a sponsorship from Dior, Cardin cut a wide swath of his own in the industry, establishing his brand in 1950. With an emphasis on ‘fashion for all’, Cardin broke from the past in the 60s, with ready-to-wear designs for the skyrocketing space age. Adopted by everyone from Mia Farrow to The Beatles, Cardin’s youth-oriented futurist fashion captured the changing times.
House of Cardin demonstrates the breadth of Pierre’s creative work and influence, detailing boundaries pushed, risks taken and the forward thinking Cardin employed throughout his empire. In addition to fashion, Cardin brought his unique approach to design into nearly every arena, including furniture, eyeglasses – even a phallic-inspired fragrance bottle. The first to capitalize on licensing, Pierre is perhaps to blame for the designer names now emblazoned across our everyday objects and accessories. The film suffers from an occasional lull (and celebrity back-patting), but succeeds in chronicling the history of the brand. In a remarkable archive of collected footage, as well as current interviews, the rooms of Cardin’s house are well-explored, but the man himself remains an alluring enigma.
CHAD KENNERK
Featuring Pierre Cardin, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Philippe Starck, Naomi Campbedll, Sharon Stone, Guo Pei, Jean-Michel Jarre, Alice Cooper, Dionne Warwick, Maryse Gaspard, Kenzo Takada.
Dir P. David Ebersole and Todd Hughes, Pro Cori Coppola, P. David Ebersole and Todd Hughes, Ph Laurent King, Ed Brad Comfort and Mel Mel Sukekawa Mooring, Music James Peter Moffatt, Costumes Pierre Cardin.
Ebersole Hughes Co.-Blue Finch Film Releasing.
98 mins. USA/France. 2019. US Rel: 15 September 2020. UK Rel: 26 April 2021. Available on VOD. Cert. 12.
