Pierre Cardin looking for young designers for a boost

Like many designer houses, Pierre Cardin draws on the talents of young designers.

The designer company held a fashion show on Wednesday at the Consulate General of France in New York to celebrate the winner of the Pierre Cardin Young Creators competition. Hundreds of people originally submitted submissions for the contest, held in honor of the centenary of Cardin's birth. Organizers selected 10 finalists, who competed in a showdown to reimagine the futuristic vision of the designer, whose 70-year career has spanned many categories.

Needless to say, this required geometric patterns, space-age accents, and thought new generation. Students from The New School's Parsons School of Design, Fashion Institute of Technology, Savannah College of Art & Design, University of North Texas, Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, California, Otis College, Houston Community College and other institutions were in the running.

Entrants were not asked to rehash the past - and highlight the here and now, previews of some looks from the "Cent" haute couture show held in Venice, Italy, in July, and the "Cosmocorps 3022" collection from January this year have been shown to attendees during the Wednesday night event.

The designer's 1964 "Cosmocorps" collection broke new ground by streamlining menswear without unnecessary accents or details . Also on the next, Cardin visited the NASA outpost in Houston in 1969. His avant-garde designs used vinyls, plastics and the "Cardine" synthetic fabric. The designer was also a forerunner in unisex sets that featured multiple layers and bold jewelry. Cardin used a wide range of references in his designs, including Japanese origami, Chinese architecture, and American football uniforms.

HyeRin Lee, a senior at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, was named the winner of the grand prize of the first annual competition. The competition was stung, according to Rodrigo Basilicati Cardin, president of Maison Pierre Cardin and descendant of the pioneering designer, who died at 98 in 2020.

During an interview on Tuesday, Cardin said the group of finalists had been narrowed down to 10 after a workshop in New York, then he thought about the decision overnight. Picking the right candidate isn't just a matter of selecting someone "who has a good character or is a talented draftsman," Cardin said. “They also have to be very quick to think of new ideas. They must be hardworking and someone who doesn't mind working Saturdays and Sundays sometimes. »

Lee's bounty includes a three-month all-expenses-paid apprenticeship with Pierre Cardin in Paris with the potential to become a full-time employee. The FIDM student will also receive a salary of $1,000 per month and the opportunity to have a sketch cut, sewn and made. Then the designer and the company will decide together if they want to continue in the business full-time, Cardin said. Designing side by side with the team, Lee should have a clear idea whether he wants to stay or not. Being part of the team is demanding, as 1,000 designs are usually needed for different licenses every month, said Cardin, who wants a few young designers to travel to other countries to meet licensees more regularly.