Richard Nixon attending a Pierre Cardin fashion show in House of Cardin.
LOS ANGELES, CA (LA ELEMENTS) 9/8/2020 – “Fashion is here to modify,” says designer Pierre Cardin in the documentary, The House of Cardin. “What we demand of a good fashion designer is not to make a very good dress that fits well and is made well. We ask them to change the face of the world by the cut and by the line.”
House of Cardin, directed by P. David Ebersole and Todd Hughes, gives us an in-depth look at the life of fashion designer Pierre Cardin. By utilizing an array of first person interviews with some of the biggest names in fashion (including of course, the subject himself), as well as a series of news footage from decades past, the audience gains insight into how Cardin came to be one of the biggest names in the fashion industry.
‘I think that fashion should follow a mode of thinking that is subversive. that should develop a new image of the body through a piece of clothing which shocks at first, but then the masses follow.” Pierre Cardin House of Cardin
How many designers can say that they created the look of an era? Indeed Cardin’s influence on the fashion of the 60’s and 70’s, was manifested in the geometric shapes and bold colors that made their mark on those decades. But also true was that during that time when most models were white, he would feature models of different races in his fashion shows. Yes, even amidst the turmoil of the Civil Rights movement here in the US. Yet make no mistake; this was not an act of political correctness. These women walked the runways in their Cardin creations to glorious effect. Among the most noteworthy of these models was Hiroko Matsumoto who was undoubtedly the muse of the fashion house of Cardin. The designer himself describes her as “walking as if she had wings.”
The House of Cardin takes us back to the beginning. In 1922, Cardin was born into great wealth in Italy. However, the rise of fascism in that country, leads his family to flee to France where the designer enjoyed a happy and peaceful youth. Such tranquility gives way to chaos as the Nazi party extends its control throughout Europe, just as Cardin becomes a young man in his 20’s. The film reveals a harrowing account of how he came face to face with the horrors of this time: While living in Vichy where he worked for the Red Cross, Cardin was arrested by German soldiers while trying to make his way to Paris. He is only allowed to proceed to his destination after his passport is checked to make certain that he isn’t Jewish.
The House of Cardin also gives us insight into the more personal side of the man. We come to know who were the people that he loved and who were the people that he felt betrayed him. Artistic rivalries are uncovered and take on the question: Who created the launch of Prêt-à-Porter that exists to this day? Was it Yves San Laurent or Cardin?
Throughout, the film, you are made aware of the impact that Cardin had on fashion back in the day and today. Would it surprise you to know that without him there might have been no Jean Paul Gauthier? And where “history making” is concerned, there is one image in particular that captures the prestige of a Pierre Cardin fashion show: President Richard Nixon seated front row, looking on in admiration at the process of a designer changing the face of the world.
Naomi Campbell sports a classic design by Pierre Cardin in House of Cardin.
House of Cardin is streaming now on Google Play and iTunes. You can watch the trailer here.
House of Cardin
Director: P. David Ebersole, Todd Hughes
Producer: P. David Ebersole, Todd Hughes, Cori Coppola
Cinematographer: Laurent King
Music: James Peter Moffat
In French, English, Italian, Chinese, Japanese
97 minutes
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