60 Years Of Style

"It was provocative, as you can imagine," Pierre Cardin said proudly, pausing in front of two outfits he designed more than 40 years ago with cones at the bust and breasts poking out through circular cut-outs.

After 60 years in the fashion world, the indefatigable 84-year-old French designer has decided to open a new museum of his personal collection with some of the designs that shot him to fame and fortune.

"I wanted to leave a trace of my work," he told AFP, energetically giving a guided tour full of snippets and insights into the inspirations, fabrics and techniques behind the 140 often avant-garde designs.

His decades-spanning collection is displayed under the vast glass roof of an airy former garage at Saint-Ouen in Paris’ northern outskirts– some distance from the super-chic tree-lined boulevards at the heart of the world’s fashion capital.

His voice trailed off as he moved on to the next outfit, instantly reeling off its potted history.

Classic elegance with coats from the start of the 1950s kick off the exhibits laid out on two floors–which opened to the public last week–followed by more experimental designs of mini skirts from the mid-1960s made up of loose strips.

Richly-textured moulded fabrics a bit like egg boxes mix with his "cosmos" era of geometric patterns and even steel collars inspired by car bumpers, as well as an array of glamorous black evening gowns.

Cardin’s sources of inspiration–a South American leaf or circles symbolizing infinity–are evident while certain themes recur in different decades, and in particular shoulders or sleeves are often adorned with interesting detail.

"I’m a sculptor, in all ways, I could do it in wood or in metal or in synthetic materials," said the veteran designer, who first joined Christian Dior in 1946, leaving three years later to set up his own design house.

But the clothes on show are just a fraction of the hundreds of items in the Cardin archive, said Renee Taponier, curator of the yet-to-be-named museum who said she began her research in the 1990s.

Several men’s outfits dot the exhibition–after 10 years away, Cardin made a comeback to the Paris men’s ready-to-wear circuit in July–which also covers women’s hats, shoes, gloves, jewellery and glasses.

And although several pieces of furniture are already on display, more is set to be added later.

So, confronted with some of his life’s work, does he have a favourite?

"It’s the one I’ll do tomorrow," he said, chuckling. –AFP