From space-age dresses to global licensing empire, Pierre Cardin legacy lives on in Venice

VENICE, Sept 4 — A new museum opening in Venice this month will showcase hundreds of groundbreaking creations from the late French designer Pierre Cardin, who died in 2020 at age 98. The Palazzo Bragadin, his Venetian home for nearly four decades, will serve as the exhibition space, with almost 1,000 square meters of gallery space designed to showcase at least 100 of his iconic outfits.

Cardin’s unisex, space-age designs from the 1960s, featuring knit minidresses with bold patterns, unexpected cut-outs, and synthetic fabrics, helped revolutionize fashion and create youth culture shockwaves. His Palazzo Bragadin, purchased in 1981, provided him a retreat to fuel his creativity. Today, Cardin’s brand is known for licensing over 130 products worldwide, but this museum aims to highlight his innovative design sensibility.

The exhibition includes a range of garments from 1951 to 2018, from a 1971 emerald green knit tunic to a 1993 dress with dramatic pleats. Cardin’s nephew, Rodrigo Basilicati-Cardin, emphasizes that Cardin saw clothing as sculpture, with the body being secondary to the design. A costume ball at the Palazzo Bragadin yesterday evening marked the beginning of the museum opening, which celebrates the 75th anniversary of a legendary ball that launched Cardin’s career in 1951.