Pierre Cardin
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1953
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Pierre Cardin does
Pierre Cardin is a privately held French luxury fashion house founded in 1950 by Pierre Cardin and now led by his great-nephew Rodrigo Cardin, who serves as President and Artistic Director following the founder's death in 2020. The company is structured as Société de Gestion Pierre Cardin (SAS) and operates from the historic 118 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré address in Paris, with 590 employees and a multi-line portfolio spanning haute couture and ready-to-wear, the pioneering international licensing program (accessories, perfumes, furniture, tableware), the Maxim's restaurant and Art Nouveau museum acquired in 1981, four heritage properties available for private event rental (Palais Bulles, Château du Marquis de Sade, Palazzo Bragadin, Le Manoir), the annual Festival Pierre Cardin in Lacoste, and the People of Talents patronage program. The Maison reaches consumers in at least 10 countries across Europe, North America, and Asia Pacific through owned retail, e-commerce (cardinshop.com), and a global licensee network.
Pierre Cardin firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pierre Cardin
- Legal name
- Société de Gestion Pierre Cardin
- Website
- https://cardinworld.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1953
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pierre Cardin industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Luxury Fashion / Haute Couture
- NAICS
- Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (31599), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (4581), Clothing, Clothing Accessories, Shoe, and Jewelry Retailers (458)
- SIC
- Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Retail-Women's Clothing Stores (5621), Leather & Leather Products (3100)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Multi-category Luxury Maisons (Jewelry/Watches/Leather/RTW) (CRAKAFAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Luxury Fashion (Ready-to-Wear & Couture) (CRAKAFAE), Luxury Haute Couture (CRAAAFAB), Luxury & Designer Apparel Houses (CRAAAAAC), Luxury & Designer Apparel Retail (CRAAABAI), Luxury Leather Goods & Handbags (CRAKAFAB)
Keywords
Where Pierre Cardin is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
Pierre Cardin business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Haute Couture and Ready-to-Wear: High-margin couture and ready-to-wear fashion collections sold through owned boutiques and global retail partners.
- Licensing and Brand Extensions: Extensive licensing program covering accessories, jewelry, perfumes, furniture, tableware, theater costumes, and restaurant operations (Maxim's). Pierre Cardin pioneered the licensing model in fashion, enabling global brand expansion without proportional capital investment.
- Venue Rental and Private Events: Rental of heritage properties (Palais Bulles, Château du Marquis de Sade, Palazzo Bragadin, Le Manoir) for private and professional events, generating revenue from exclusivity and prestige positioning.
- Festival and Cultural Events: Annual Festival Pierre Cardin in Lacoste featuring theater, dance, cinema, and music performances, celebrating culture and reinforcing brand heritage positioning.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Pierre Cardin product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pierre Cardin designs, produces, and licenses seasonal haute couture and ready-to-wear fashion collections presented at Paris Fashion Week and international fashion events. Beyond apparel, the Maison operates a global licensing program covering accessories, perfumes, furniture, and tableware; rents out four heritage properties (Palais Bulles, Château du Marquis de Sade, Palazzo Bragadin, Le Manoir) for private and corporate events; runs the annual Festival Pierre Cardin in Lacoste; and owns the Maxim's restaurant brand with international locations.
Product overview
Pierre Cardin is a luxury fashion house founded in 1953, currently led by Rodrigo Cardin as President and Artistic Director. The Maison operates multiple interconnected business lines: seasonal haute couture and ready-to-wear fashion collections (SS2025, FW2025, SS2026, FW2026) presented at international fashion weeks; an international licensing program spanning fashion, accessories, perfumes, furniture, and tableware; exclusive event venues (Palais Bulles, Château du Marquis de Sade, Palazzo Bragadin, Le Manoir) available for privatization; the annual Festival Pierre Cardin in Lacoste celebrating theater, dance, cinema, and music; the People of Talents patronage program supporting emerging designers; and ownership of the Maxim's restaurant brand with international locations. The company also maintains the Pierre Cardin Museum of Art Nouveau and an e-commerce platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Cosmocorps: Space-age inspired fashion line launched in 1962 featuring futuristic designs, thermoformed dresses, and vinyl garments
- Cardine
Products and services
- Pierre Cardin Fashion Collections Seasonal haute couture and ready-to-wear fashion collections including Autumn/Winter and Spring/Summer lines, presented at Paris Fashion Week and international fashion weeks in Palm Springs, China, and South Korea. For luxury fashion consumers, celebrities, and global retail partners.
- Pierre Cardin Venues and Event Spaces Exclusive privatizable venues for private and professional events, including Palais Bulles (Bubble Palace, Théoule-sur-Mer), Château du Marquis de Sade and its Carrières (Lacoste, Luberon), Palazzo Bragadin (Venice), and Le Manoir (Théoule-sur-Mer). For event planners, corporate clients, and private celebrations.
- Pierre Cardin License Program International B2B licensing program enabling third-party manufacturers and distributors to produce and sell Pierre Cardin branded products across accessories, jewelry, perfumes, furniture, tableware, and theater costumes in markets worldwide. For licensees and retail partners.
- Maxim's Restaurants Iconic Parisian Art Nouveau fine dining restaurant brand with international locations in Monte-Carlo, Geneva, Tokyo, Shanghai, New York, Brussels, and Beijing. For fine dining customers, tourists, and business clientele.
- Pierre Cardin Museum Museum dedicated to Art Nouveau, located in the upper floors of the Maxim's building in Paris. For cultural visitors, design enthusiasts, and tourists.
- Festival Pierre Cardin Annual summer cultural festival in Lacoste featuring ballets, exhibitions, musical cinema, and one-man shows at the Château du Marquis de Sade. For festival attendees, performing arts audiences, and cultural tourists.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% of collections made in Parisian workshops using recycled or dormant heritage fabrics
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Pierre Cardin
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Pierre Cardin technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Pierre Cardin partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and major.
- ArbluminorPierre Cardin Couture partnered with Arblu for a capsule collection of bathroom furniture, combining haute couture with Made in Italy craftsmanship for interior design applications.
- Luna Space (Cologne, Germany)majorPierre Cardin participated in designing training outfits for lunar exploration intended for European astronauts. The flexible inner bodysuit and outer suit worn over the spacesuit were created by Maison Pierre Cardin for use in the new lunar surface simulation facility LUNA based in Cologne, Germany.
- European Space Agency (ESA)majorOngoing collaboration with ESA for space-inspired fashion, including point press events and research around space exploration garments. Rodrigo Cardin shares Pierre Cardin's passion for space and reinforces the brand's affiliation with the space sector.
- Thales Alenia SpaceminorThe 'Satellite' dress presented at the CENT fashion show in 2022 was made from thermal blankets of the CYGNUS pressurized cargo spacecraft supplied by Thales Alenia Space, demonstrating innovative upcycling from aerospace materials.
- ENSAIT (École Nationale Supérieure des Arts et Industries Textiles)minorRodrigo Cardin sponsors the 2023-2026 class at ENSAIT in Roubaix, supporting future textile engineers as part of the brand's commitment to developing young talent in the fashion and textile industries.
- Festival Pierre Cardin PartnersminorVarious partners support the annual Festival Pierre Cardin in Lacoste, including venue hosts, performers, and cultural institutions for theater, dance, cinema, and music programming.
- Prix Bulles Award PartnersmajorAnnual innovation awards with partners Jacques Rougerie (2025 godfather, architect and oceanographer) and Bertrand Piccard (2024 godfather, Solar Impulse founder). The 2025 edition included Prince Albert II of Monaco as Honorary Prize recipient.
- Chinese Licensee PartnersminorPierre Cardin partnered with licensed partners present in China to organize a fashion show event at the City Library of Beijing in October 2024, showcasing the brand's continued presence in the Chinese market.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Pierre Cardin competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Valentino: Valentino is an Italian luxury house offering haute couture, RTW, accessories, and footwear. Comparable to Pierre Cardin as a European heritage couture maison operating in similar premium fashion categories, though Valentino's scale under Mayhoola ownership and runway presence is larger.
- Balenciaga: Balenciaga (Kering) is a Spanish-French luxury house offering couture, RTW, leather goods, and footwear. Comparable to Pierre Cardin as a Paris-based couture heritage house operating across contemporary luxury categories, though Balenciaga's modern positioning skews streetwear-adjacent.
- Givenchy: Givenchy (LVMH) is a French couture and luxury house offering haute couture, RTW, accessories, and beauty. Directly comparable to Pierre Cardin as a French heritage couture maison with similar scope across fashion categories, though Givenchy benefits from LVMH ownership and stronger current creative direction.
- Maison Margiela: Maison Margiela (OTB/Diesel group) is a French avant-garde couture and RTW house known for deconstruction and conceptual design. Comparable to Pierre Cardin as a French heritage couture house with strong conceptual/artistic positioning, though with stronger current runway relevance.
- Balmain: Balmain is a French luxury couture and RTW house with comparable mid-century heritage, structured outerwear, and French atelier production. Similar in scale, heritage category, and licensing-style operations to Pierre Cardin, though Balmain is now part of Mayhoola/Qatari investment group.
- Lanvin: Lanvin is the oldest French couture house, offering RTW, accessories, and childrenswear. Comparable to Pierre Cardin as a French heritage luxury fashion house of similar vintage, with comparable scale challenges and private-family or independent-ownership history.
- Yves Saint Laurent: Yves Saint Laurent (Kering) is a French luxury house known for haute couture, ready-to-wear, leather goods, and beauty. Directly comparable to Pierre Cardin as a French couture peer with similar mid-century modern heritage, though YSL is embedded in a luxury group and commands stronger contemporary fashion-week positioning.
- Jean Paul Gaultier: Jean Paul Gaultier is a French haute couture and ready-to-wear house known for its avant-garde, Space Age-adjacent aesthetic and licensing-led business model across fragrance and accessories. Highly comparable to Pierre Cardin in design DNA (futuristic, geometric) and licensing-first distribution philosophy.
Broad incumbents
- Chanel: Chanel is a privately held French luxury maison spanning haute couture, ready-to-wear, leather goods, fragrance, and beauty. Comparable to Pierre Cardin as a peer French heritage couture house, though Chanel operates at materially greater scale and with tighter brand control rather than licensing.
- Christian Dior (Dior): Dior, part of LVMH, is a French couture and luxury goods house offering haute couture, RTW, leather goods, fragrances, and cosmetics. Pierre Cardin's founder trained under Christian Dior, making Dior a directly comparable French couture peer, albeit far larger and within a luxury conglomerate.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks3 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Pierre Cardin social profiles
Digital presencePierre Cardin financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pierre Cardin leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Pierre Cardin subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Pierre Cardin funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pierre Cardin M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pierre Cardin
What does Pierre Cardin do?
Pierre Cardin designs, produces, and licenses seasonal haute couture and ready-to-wear fashion collections presented at Paris Fashion Week and international fashion events. Beyond apparel, the Maison operates a global licensing program covering accessories, perfumes, furniture, and tableware; rents out four heritage properties (Palais Bulles, Château du Marquis de Sade, Palazzo Bragadin, Le Manoir) for private and corporate events; runs the annual Festival Pierre Cardin in Lacoste; and owns the Maxim's restaurant brand with international locations.
Is Pierre Cardin a public or private company?
Pierre Cardin is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Pierre Cardin founded?
Pierre Cardin was founded in 1953. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Pierre Cardin based?
Pierre Cardin is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does Pierre Cardin make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Haute Couture and Ready-to-Wear is the primary driver. The others are licensing and Brand Extensions, venue Rental and Private Events and festival and Cultural Events.
Who are Pierre Cardin's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Valentino, Balenciaga, Givenchy, Maison Margiela, Balmain, Lanvin, Yves Saint Laurent and Jean Paul Gaultier. Broad incumbents are Chanel and Christian Dior (Dior).
Does Pierre Cardin have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pierre Cardin.
What industry is Pierre Cardin in?
Pierre Cardin's product category is Luxury Fashion / Haute Couture. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAKAFAA, Multi-category Luxury Maisons (Jewelry/Watches/Leather/RTW), with a secondary code of CRAKAFAE, Luxury Fashion (Ready-to-Wear & Couture). Its NAICS code is 3159 and its SIC code is 2300.