Cardin, Pierre 
1922 - .
French pioneering fashion designer. 

He was the first to launch menswear (1960) and designer ready-to-wear collections (1963) and has given his name to a perfume. Cardin has franchised his name for labelling many different acessories and household products. Cardin moved to Paris 1944 and worked in the fashion houses of Madame Paquin, Elsa Schiaparelli, and Christian Dior. He began making theatrical costumes 1949, and launched his first couture collection 1957. He was particularly influential in the 1960s, creating his "Space Age Collection" of catsuits, tight leather trousers, jumpsuits with bat wings, and close-fitting helmet-style caps 1964, followed 1966 by shift dresses with ring collars from which the fabric was suspended.