renovated boutiques, museum plans, and a new line

Three years following the passing of its founder, the Pierre Cardin maison, now under the helm of Rodrigo Basilicati-Cardin, the couturier’s great-nephew and successor, is embarking on a multifaceted strategy to rejuvenate the brand. In conjunction with the reopening of the brand’s refurbished iconic boutique in Paris, the CEO shared exclusive insights with FashionNetwork.com, providing a preview of the brand’s forthcoming initiatives amid an approximate revenue of 20 million euros.

 
Upon Pierre Cardin’s arrival in Paris in 1945, he set up shop in the Faubourg Saint-Honoré, which gradually became the epicenter of his operations. In 1966, he unveiled his inaugural store at No. 59, the same address Rodrigo Basilicati-Cardin recently renovated upon the couturier’s passing, with its fresh layout unveiled on Tuesday, December 12.

Spanning 140 square meters, the space preserves the historical elements and recognizable features of the maison’s futuristic aesthetics. The boutique showcases curved lines and rounded contours, echoed in convex screen vitrines projecting images of the brand’s collections. The furnishing comprises geometrically-shaped display units accentuated by colorful LED lights, illuminating vibrant product displays. The store currently hosts a curated selection of the brand’s latest three women’s collections.

In the forthcoming months, the retail space is set to expand by an additional 120 square meters to exhibit the Pierre Cardin furniture and design line. The upper floor, connected to the adjacent store dedicated to the men’s collections at 20 Rue du Cirque, will house a museum honoring the renowned couturier. Basilicati-Cardin, an engineer by training and a designer, expressed plans for a 500-square-meter museum that would constantly evolve every six months. This museum will curate the brand’s extensive archive of 30,000 pieces spanning from 1950 to the present day, highlighting Cardin’s far-reaching influence across various domains including architecture, sculpture, and more.

A third boutique, previously dedicated to design and furniture at 82 Faubourg Saint-Honoré but temporarily adapted to offer ready-to-wear and accessories during renovations, will persist in this evolved format. In addition, Pierre Cardin has a smaller showcase boutique in Venice. Beyond these locations, the brand’s extensive global presence extends through almost a thousand points of sale overseen by its 150 licensees.

“In recent months, I have strengthened ties with our licensees, managing a total of 350 licenses. I visited Mexico, the United States, China, South Korea, and Brazil. Now, I am targeting Europe. While our Parisian studio creates the designs, I aim to enhance our setup with locally recruited designers to authentically capture Pierre Cardin’s style,” explained the CEO, who is currently embroiled in a legal battle with other Cardin heirs concerning the issue of succession.
 
Within the licensee network emerges a new line: “Pierre Cardin Evolution,” presenting a younger, sportier collection with a more accessible price range of 500 to 700 euros. This line stands apart from the main Pierre Cardin collection, which offers pieces ranging from 2,500 to as high as 12,600 euros.

Employing around 60 people, the house centralizes its creative division in the Parisian studio under Rodrigo Basilicati-Cardin’s leadership. The current objective is to double the workshop’s capacity to craft about a dozen models, each in four sizes, and commence retail distribution through select multi-brand stores.

Simultaneously, the legendary restaurant, Chez Maxim’s, owned by Pierre Cardin since 1981, reopened a month ago following extensive renovations. Presently, its management has been entrusted to the Paris Society group.