House of Cardin

Greetings again from the darkness. He's now 98 years old. Is it even possible to separate Pierre Cardin, the man, from Pierre Cardin, the global brand? Co-directors P. David Ebersole and Todd Hughes take on the fashion icon in the latest documentary focusing on the biggest names in the industry ... and there may be none bigger or more important than Cardin. We begin with a montage of folks pronouncing his name in various dialects, and with the utmost respect.

"Who is Pierre Cardin?" After saying his name, many of those same people then struggle with how best to describe the man. Cardin himself cuts right to it, "It's no longer me. It's a brand." The public brand was created by a private man - one who has never authorized a biography, which may explain why the filmmakers actually get very little direct input from Cardin himself. Instead, we get archival footage and a stream of admiring talking heads discussing his influence.

It's a bit surprising to learn that this famous French designer was born in Italy. Cardin's family relocated to France when he was young and Mussolini was in power. His fashion career got a boost when he met director Jean Cocteau and worked on costumes for the classic BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1946), and then was named head designer at Dior. In 1950, when Cardin left to open his own house, Christian Dior was quite supportive of his pupil. Cardin followed that example, and mentored young designers over many decades.

This is an informative profile, and clearly outlines Cardin's global vision. We learn he was the first to expand internationally into Japan, Russia, and China ... and there is an entire segment devoted to his impact on China fashion. We see his number one model in the 1960's, Hiroko Matsumoto, and Naomi Campbell explains how Cardin was the first to hire a diverse troupe of models from many races. He even had the first men's fashion show, something that seemed quite extreme for the time, although he also designed suits for The Beatles. So much of Cardin's career is detailed here - his initial foray into Ready-To-Wear, realizing his goal of designing not just for the privileged, but also the masses.

The Cardin brand has found its way into so many industries and on to so many products. This includes furniture, cologne, and even cars - specifically an AMC Javelin. Cardin became a pioneer in fashion eyewear, and as with his clothes, his modern approach was often ahead of its time. The film proceeds to go into his purchase of Maxim's, the famous Paris restaurant (which he later franchised), as well as his passion for the theater, and the purchase of Espace Cardin in 1970. Cardin's connection to Gerard Depardieu, Dionne Warwick, Marlene Dietrich, and even Alice Cooper are discussed, and we also hear from Sharon Stone and Jean-Michel Jarre, among others.

Despite all we learn, by the end of the documentary, Pierre Cardin remains a bit of an enigma as a person. His personal life includes intimate relationships with Jeanne Moreau (labeled his "life companion for years") and Andre Oliver (who died of AIDS in 1991). Pierre Cardin is a designer and fashion icon who has a museum dedicated to his work ... work to this day that he maintains a finger on the pulse. In fact, when asked the secret to youth, Cardin replies, "Work. Work. Work." And we know he means it.

Directors Todd Hughes and P. David Ebersole (Mansfield 66/67) go back in time and take a closer in depth look at visionary fashion and design icon Pierre Cardin's work and personal life in 'House of Cardin'.

Millions know the iconic logo, but few know the man behind the larger than life label. In this exhilarating and flashy documentary, Hughes and Ebersole design an impressive portrait of the larger than life man himself, by introducing his many talents, incredibly fascinating innovations and his way of changing people's perception on fashion throughout several decades. This rare look into the mind of the genius Cardin takes you on a fascinating journey, while featuring many interviews with famous names including Naomi Campbell, Sharon Stone, Dionne Warwick, Alice Cooper, Jean-Paul Gaultier, etc., who one by one celebrate this true original fashion genius.

Featuring rare footage, House of Cardin recounts his first steps as an employee at Paquin in Paris in 1945, where he worked on the exquisite costumes of Jean Cocteau's classic Beauty and the Beast, to becoming the head of Christian Dior's atelier and then founding his own label in 1950. Combining acute business acumen with an almost unrivaled creation vision, Cardin was a fashion revolutionary whose designs from the 1960s and 70s still appear modern decades later. In what was perceived as a shocking move at the time, he was also the very first designer to branch out from haute couture into ready-to-wear, and expand his range to incorporate fashion accessories - all accepted as standard practice today.

Even those who aren't familiar with Pierre Cardin, the man and the brand, get a fast course that's not only enthralling but makes you grow an unprecedented respect for his influence on fashion as we know. As the documentary shows through archival footage, the global fashion brands of today, such as Louis Vuitton, Dior or Saint Laurent, owe Cardin as a person and a brand to pave the way for them. In 1959 he was even thrown out of the French federation for haute couture when he decided to make designer dresses on a budget for the mass market.

Unlike all the other designers, Cardin, who is now 97, never sold his company to a multinational. Instead, he kept investing and discovering new ways to spend his money and make a new for himself elsewhere, just like he did with his fashion empire. He now owns a theatre and bought famous restaurant Maxim's in Paris, after once being turned away for not wearing proper attire. That restaurant is now a worldwide chain.

It's his personal story that almost impresses more than his professional one. His demanding and perfectionist personality made him succeed at everything he worked hard for, but under that hard shell lies a gentle soul. He is the kind of man who fought hard for equal rights, visibility and representation in fashion, making sure he inspired millions of people along the way with the power he had in this very exclusive world. The one thing 'House of Cardin' brushes over is his love life that involved his marriage with Jeanne Moreau, and later suggesting at a romantic relationship with Andre Oliver.

The music throughout is upbeat, keeping House of Cardin a fun informative watch with fast editing, that tells the story of Pierre Cardin in chronological order, even hinting at the future ideas he has in store. At the age of 97, the man himself doesn't seem to plan on stopping anytime soon, surrounded by family members who support him and praise his work on a daily basis.

House of Cardin is one of the most inspiring fashion documentaries, making it essential viewing for anybody who loves fashion.