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Pierre Cardin Clutches

While Pierre Cardin enjoyed great success in a range of fields, most notably furniture, he is best known for creating groundbreaking fashion designs from the 1950s onward. The French designer’s attention-getting aesthetic, along with his talent for self-promotion, made him a household name on several continents, and his mid-century dresses, jackets, gowns and skirts were modern, flattering and no less than transformative. 

Cardin was born in a village near Venice, Italy, and raised in central France. Always interested in fashion, he left home at age 17 to train with a Vichy tailor. After the end of World War II, Cardin moved to Paris and worked for a succession of couture houses that included Paquin and Schiaparelli, before taking a job with Christian Dior in 1946, where he helped conceive the legendary New Look collection of 1947. When Cardin left to open his own salon, in 1950, Dior sent flowers and referred clients to his young protégé. 

The designer quickly won attention for his novel style. The first Pierre Cardin couture collection debuted in 1952, and his futuristic looks were catnip for the free-spending consumers of the postwar years. Unlike Dior’s New Look, which featured reams of fabric and 19-inch waists enforced by wire corsets, Cardin’s clothes de-emphasized a woman’s curves; his breakthrough pieces like the Bubble dress of 1954 had, instead, a sculptural quality. 

Cardin became an international celebrity with his Bubble dress, and the business expanded rapidly, attracting clients like Jacqueline Kennedy, Mia Farrow, Lauren Bacall and Jeanne Moreau. Perhaps his most significant achievement was introducing ready-to-wear fashion, a radical concept that would ultimately be adopted by every other high-fashion house. He was also a pioneer in marketing to Japan, China and the countries behind the Iron Curtain. 

The Soviet Union’s launch of the satellite Sputnik in 1957 kicked off the space race. Soon after, fashion designers adopted styles worn by astronauts and drew further inspiration from science fiction. In the swinging 1960s, Cardin’s Space Age design led an international pack of fashion progressives influenced by the Mod movement including Paco Rabanne, André Courrèges, Mary Quant and Rudi Gernreich, that changed the shape of the industry. 

Cardin introduced bright tunic dresses and shifts, marketed as the Space Age look and accessorized with vinyl hats and visors. His work was architectural, streamlined and minimalist: A-line shapes with keyhole necklines and bold geometric appliques. In addition to his Bubble dress, the designer became known for his Target and Car Wash dresses as well as his Cosmocorps unisex bodysuits and jumpers. Cardin innovated constantly, using new materials like heat-molded Cardine (his own invention) and creating glittery evening wear and garments that incorporated LED lights. His omnipresent logo — a swirling black P that cleverly created a white C in the negative space around it — was a commercial touch that horrified fashion’s stuffed shirts. 

In the 1970s Cardin expanded his design work into furniture, jewelry and watches as well as automobiles. Later, licensing agreements would put Cardin’s name on goods ranging from perfume to sunglasses

Cardin has been the subject of several books and exhibitions at major museums, including New York’s Brooklyn Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, London’s Victoria and Albert, and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.

Find vintage Pierre Cardin dresses, scarves, handbags and other clothing and accessories on 1stDibs.

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Designer: Pierre Cardin
1970s Pierre Cardin Brown Top Handle Clutch
By Pierre Cardin
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Beautiful Pierre Cardin brown skin clutch from the 1970s. Rectangular with gold tone metal hardware and retractable top handle. Small PC logo on le...
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1970s French Pierre Cardin Clutches

1960's Pierre Cardin Navy Logo Fabric Clutch
By Pierre Cardin
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Pierre Cardin clutch from the 1960s. Frame style with gold tone metal frame and clasp. Navy blue jacquard with all over Pierre Cardin logos. Navy ...
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1960s French Pierre Cardin Clutches

Pierre Cardin 1970s Monogram Suede Clutch
By Pierre Cardin
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
Everyone needs a great vintage clutch in their collection! Circa 1970s, this Pierre Cardin dark mocha suede clutch features the recognizable Pierre Cardin monogram...
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1970s American Pierre Cardin Clutches

Pierre Cardin Silk Clutch Bag
By Pierre Cardin
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
Cardin - Silk clutch embroidered with pearls. Gold-plated metal attributes. Additional information: Dimensions: Height: 13 cm, Length: 25 cm, Depth: 3 cm, Handle: 72 cm Conditio...
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1970s French Pierre Cardin Clutches

Pierre Cardin Sleek Python Versatile Clutch Bag c 1970
By Pierre Cardin
Located in University City, MO
Pierre Cardin Sleek python versatile clutch bag c 1970 The chic handbag is covered with exotic python skin The versatile designs converts from a mod clutch Transitions to a stylis...
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1970s French Pierre Cardin Clutches

1960s Pierre Cardin Beige Logo Jacquard Clutch
By Pierre Cardin
Located in Toronto, Ontario
1960's Pierre Cardin logo clutch with detachable white leather handle. In excellent unused condition. Off white fabric body trimmed with white leather. Length 11.75" Width 7.5...
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1960s American Pierre Cardin Clutches

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Pierre Cardin clutches for sale on 1stDibs.

Find an extraordinary range of authentic Pierre Cardin clutches available on 1stDibs. Customers who are interested in this designer might also find the work of Charles Jourdan, Nina Ricci, and Givenchy appealing. On 1stDibs, find haute couture, vintage and designer Pierre Cardin clutches from top boutiques around the world. Pierre Cardin clutches prices can differ depending upon time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $250 and tops out at $590, while the average work can sell for $363.
Questions About Pierre Cardin Clutches
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 15, 2024
    Yes, Pierre Cardin is a luxury brand. Founder Pierre Cardin launched his company in 1950, and the brand quickly won attention for its novel style. Unlike Dior's famous New Look, Cardin's clothes de-emphasized a woman's curves; his breakthrough pieces, like the Bubble dress, had a sculptural quality. In the following decade, Cardin introduced bright tunic dresses and shifts, marketed as the Space Age look, and accessorized them with vinyl hats and visors. He also achieved success in other design fields, most notably furniture. Explore a variety of apparel and accessories on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertAugust 8, 2024
    What happened to Pierre Cardin is that while he became known all over the world for creating groundbreaking apparel from the 1950s onward, the French designer also enjoyed great success in other fields, most notably furniture.

    Cardin’s chairs, cabinets, tables and other pieces share many of the keynotes of his clothing designs. They are simple, geometric, elegant and cool.

    Cardin’s clothes de-emphasized a woman’s curves; his breakthrough pieces like the Bubble dress had, instead, a sculptural quality. In the 1960s, Cardin introduced bright tunic dresses and shifts, marketed as the Space Age look and accessorized with vinyl hats and visors.

    Cardin later expanded his design work into furniture, jewelry and automobiles. (Later, licensing agreements would put Cardin’s name on goods ranging from perfume to sunglasses.) The couturier died in 2020.

    Find vintage Pierre Cardin dresses, scarves, handbags and other clothing and accessories on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 26, 2024
    Pierre Cardin was most famous for his work as a fashion designer. He created groundbreaking fashion designs from the 1950s onward. In addition, he enjoyed great success in other design fields, most notably furniture. Cardin's chairs, cabinets, tables and other pieces share many of the keynotes of his clothing designs. They are simple, geometric, elegant and cool. Shop a wide range of Pierre Cardin apparel, accessories and furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 25, 2024
    Pierre Cardin is famous for creating groundbreaking fashion designs from the 1950s onward. The designer's clothes deemphasized a woman's curves. His breakthrough pieces, like the Bubble dress, had, instead, a sculptural quality. During the 1960s, Cardin introduced bright tunic dresses and shifts, marketed as the Space Age look and accessorized with vinyl hats and visors. In the 1970s, Cardin expanded his design work into furniture, jewelry and automobiles. Cardin's furniture pieces feature simple, symmetrical forms, lacquer and figured veneer finishes and accents in metals such as aluminum and brass. On 1stDibs, explore a range of Pierre Cardin apparel and accessories.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Yes, Pierre Cardin bags described as “leather” are made from real leather, including Italian, woven, vintage, perforated, rustic, and patterned leather. But Cardin also makes bags out of nylon and canvas. Find vintage and modern Pierre Cardin genuine leather bags from top sellers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 25, 2024
    Yes, Pierre Cardin is a high-end brand. The French fashion house is renowned for the quality of the materials and craftsmanship that go into its apparel and accessories. Pierre Cardin is best known for creating groundbreaking fashion designs from the 1950s onward. In the 1970s Cardin expanded his design work into furniture, jewelry and automobiles. Find a variety of Pierre Cardin pieces on 1stDibs.

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