From left: Pierre Cardin drawing clothes in 1957; Model's presentation of a coat and hat from Cardin's 1959 Autumn/Winter collection
A dreamer, as many young men are, Pierre Cardin tossed aside all limitations in his designs, favoring a whimsical approach to fashion. The Italian-born Frenchman is lauded for his 20th century pieces that looked as though they were from the 25th century. As Cardin rose to fame in the age of the space race, his creations took on an air of futurism. His so-called bubble dresses had all the fixings of science fiction, combining earthly elegance with out-of-this-world colors and avant garde design. They may be wacky, sure, but Cardin's clothes showed a freedom of expression that highlighted larger ideals, in particular the emancipation of women. The visionary designer fell out of critical favor when he attached his name to less fashionable items, from cars to umbrellas, but his futuristic, space-centric legacy will live to infinity and beyond.