Fashion giant Pierre Cardin has passed away at the age of 98.
His family confirmed the sad news in a statement to the Agence France-Presse news agency, sharing he died in hospital in Neuilly, near Paris,
"It is a day of great sadness for all our family. Pierre Cardin is no more," they said. "We are all proud of his tenacious ambition and the daring he has shown throughout his life."
Cardin was born in northern Italy, but his family fled to France in 1924 to escape fascism. During the Second World War, the budding designer worked for the Red Cross, sparking a passion for humanitarian work that lasted throughout his life.
His fashion career took off when he worked under Elsa Schiaparelli after the war, before he started his namesake label in 1950.
A decade later he was widely credited with revolutionising fashion thanks to his futuristic and cutting edge designs, and groundbreaking ready-to-wear collections for both men and women.
Cardin was also a pioneer in business, licensing his name to be used on a range of products, including sunglasses.
