14 ★ FTWeekend 9 November/10 November 2019
P
ierre Cardin, the father of
1960s’ fashion futurism,
meets ancient Venice in the
form of a plexi-glass gondola.
Today, it, has been moved to
the back of the courtyard in Cardin’s
palazzo to make way for guests who
will arrive the following evening
forapartyinhislargegarden.
Much of the city’s magic
happens behind closed
doors and Palazzo Braga-
din in the Santa Croce dis-
trict is no exception.
Behind a large door on a
narrow street and
through the garden, a
spectacular portico with
colonnades marks the
beginning of a double stair-
case that leads upstairs to
thepiano nobile— the first
floor. It opens into a
grand reception hall,A futurist in
an historic
palace
At Home Pierre Cardin’s Venetian palazzo|
is testament to his 70-year career at the
forefront of fashion. ByHarriet Agnew
with chandeliers and an 18th-century
terrazzomarblefloor.
Cardin,97,iswaitinginanarmchairin
an adjoining sitting room, where the
walls are decorated with four original
works by Pietro Longhi, the 18th-
century Venetian master painter of
socialanddomesticlife.
Dressed in an olive green suit, colour-
ful shirt and trainers, there is a hint of
white stubble on the French-Italianfashion designer’s face. I later learn that
this was down to his delayed arrival in
Venice after a 27-hour train journey
from Paris that would have tested any-
one’s endurance, let alone that of a non-
agenarian. But Cardin, known for his
avant-garde style, space-age designs
and widespread licensing of his name,
appears to be in good spirits. Next door
his nephew, Rodrigo Basilicati, is play-
ing Frédéric Chopin’s nocturnes exqui-
sitelyonagrandpiano.
Cardin was a futurist both in his
designs and the idea that fashion can be
a business. Depending on your opinion,
his wide-ranging global empire is either
testament to a visionary businessman
oracautionarytaleoftheperilsofbrand
dilutionthroughlicensing.
He democratised fashion after 1959
by becoming the first couturier to
launch a ready-to-wear collection, for
the Printemps department store, a
move that had him temporarilyColumn in the gardenHouse Home
Pierre Cardin in his Venetian palazzo and (left) winter collection, 1968 —Photographs by Alessandro Furchino Capria for the FT; Archives Pierre CardinHe democratised fashion
after 1959 by becoming the
first couturier to launch aready-to-wear collection
NOVEMBER 9 2019 Section:Weekend Time: 11/20196/ - 17:30 User:elizabeth.robinson Page Name:RES14, Part,Page,Edition:RES, 14, 1