Swords and Space Were Hot Topics at Pierre Cardin Gala

3 Dec

MAKING A POINT: Essentially the most unusual accessories spotted at a Pierre Cardin black-tie gala on Friday night in Paris weren’t Space Age sunglasses, but quite ceremonial swords.

Organized exactly 30 years to the day for the reason that late designer was inducted into the celebrated Académie des Beaux-Arts, the event at Maxim’s attracted many Immortals, the title given to residents inducted into any of the Institut de France’s five academies. Established in 1795, the Institut is a learned society that also manages foundations, museums and chateaus.

Cardin, who died in 2020 at age 98, was the primary couturier to be inducted, and the academy continues to award a design prize in his name. Indeed, it was so meaningful to the Itallian-born fashion maverick that he was buried in his ceremonial uniform, decorated with embroideries of olive branches, and his sword.

Cardin also staged his seventieth anniversary on the gold-domed Institut de France, which houses the Académie Francaise that governs the language.

“It was so essential to him,” said his nephew Rodrigo Basilicati-Cardin, president and artistic director of Pierre Cardin, who wrote the foreword for a recent velvet-covered tome detailing the milestone.

Jacques Rougerie and Rodrigo Basilicati-Cardin.

Julien Hekimian

But knowing Cardin all the time liked to look to the long run, Basilicati-Cardin invited a number of figures from the aerospace industry to the celebration, and in addition French architect Jacques Rougerie, who hopes his flagship project SeaOrbiter – a semi-submersible research vessel that resembles a futuristic robot seahorse – will come to fruition soon.

Artist Jean-Michel Othoniel, who was inducted into the Académie des Beaux-Arts in 2021 wearing a uniform by Dior’s Kim Jones, revealed that he would open a recent artistic residency program for the academy next April.

It is going to be housed in a small chateau outside of Paris, where 10 young artists – including painters, sculptors, musicians and engravers – will work toward a bunch show.

“It is going to be very exciting. It’s this concept of transmission. It was the goal of Monsieur Cardin,” he said.

Othoniel said he’s also working on a project for the Brooklyn Botanic Garden adjoining to the Brooklyn Museum. He said he would “play with the ponds” and unveil the brand new works in the autumn of 2023.