more than 200,000 people in over 100 countries. It incorporates diversified
fields ranging from fashion and accessories, to cosmetics, fragrance,
jewellery and timepieces, restaurants, hotels and museums. Other product
divisions include champagne, wines and spirits, sweets and chocolates and
other consumer goods such as confectionaries and canned food.
Pierre Cardin was propelled to the global stage of fashion as a result of his
high artistic talent and his innovative and often radical nature. He is a vision-
ary who paved the way for several aspects of modern fashion business prac-
tices. He was also one of the first designers to take fashion beyond creativity,
into the business sphere, through licensing agreements and diversification
beyond the range of traditional luxury fashion goods. He also paved the way
for the current Premium Fashion revolution led by brands like Zara and
H&M, through his early quest to take high fashion to the masses.
The artistic talent and cultural innovation of the man, Pierre Cardin, has
been recognized and honoured in fashion and beyond. The French govern-
ment gave him several awards including the ‘Legion d’Honneur’ and
membership into the prestigious ‘Academie Francaise’, which safeguards the
French history, culture and art. Pierre Cardin is also an ambassador of
UNESCO and a friend to several presidents, great leaders and innovators of
the past and present century. It has famously been said that Pierre Cardin,
whose company headquarters is opposite the Palais Elysées, where the
French President lives, often exchanges morning greeting waves with the
President from his office balcony. His influence stretches from Paris to
Tokyo, Las Vegas, Moscow and beyond.
However, the mention of the name Pierre Cardin in fashion circles today
conjures up several images and ideas in people. This is mainly as a result of
the brand’s multiple licensing strategy. The current perception of the brand
Pierre Cardin has been greatly affected by the rampant licensing agreements
and excessive diversification of the brand, which are viewed as a compromise
to the qualities of a luxury brand. In a period when luxury brands are buying
back licensing agreements in a quest to protect the brand’s equity and
increase its value, Pierre Cardin’s licensing endorsements continue to grow
beyond 900 products ranging from fashion goods to champagne, olive oil,
tableware, floor tiles, toilet seats and even hospital mattresses.
These raise several questions about the extent and dimensions that licens-
ing can be adopted by luxury brands and their potential impact on the brand’s
long-term equity.
History
Pierre Cardin was born near Venice in Italy in 1922, as Pietro Cardin. He was
the youngest of 11 children and his father was a wine merchant who provided
a comfortable life for his family. However, during the First World War,
the family was forced to migrate to the south of France to escape poverty.
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