Created with the full co-operation and support of Cardin himself, this book is the first to follow the career trajectory of this 20th-century fashion icon. Stunning reproductions of his extraordinary designs are accompanied by an engaging text that offers new insights into Cardin's life, philosophy and milieu.
He played a major part in the development of the New Look at Christian Dior, and created the Beatles' iconic collarless suits.
As the first couturier to create a ready-to-wear line, in 1959, he demolished the ivory tower of Parisian haute couture, motivated by his conviction that luxury should be within the reach of all. He brought his fashion to Moscow, Peking and Tokyo, at a time when the fashion world was dominated by France.
He has turned his name into an omnipresent global brand - he is the only person in the world to govern a empire of haute couture, prêt-à-porter, theatres, restaurants, hotels, media, castles, factories, ships and, last but not least, the legendary Maxim's de Paris