Modernist to Space Age jewels from a household name

'Art is a passion, a lifetime's support" according to Pierre Cardin. The designer launched his Paris couture house in 1950. Just like his contemporary André Courrèges, Cardin became famous for "cementing the sci-fi look of the Space Race era". He also played with shifting hemlines during the 1960s and 1970s and pioneered the concept of "unisex" in clothing. With an instantly recognisable signature that appeared on a whole universe of products, by 1985 Pierre Cardin boasted 840 licences, everything from dining tables to watches and ballpoint pens. The subject of documentaries and museum retrospectives, today the designer is in his nineties, while the Pierre Cardin business continues to evolve.