Cosmos thumbnail 1
Cosmos thumbnail 2
+13
images
Not on display

This object consists of 6 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Cosmos

Ensemble
1967 (made)
Artist/Maker
Pierre Cardin Mesures (maker)
Cardin, Pierre (designer)
Place of origin
Paris (made)

Pierre Cardin regarded his 'Cosmos outfits' as the style of the year. This outfit forms part of the Cecil Beaton Collection, brought together by the society photographer Sir Cecil Beaton (1904-1980). With great energy and determination, Beaton contacted the well-dressed elite of Europe and North America to help create this lasting monument to the art of dress. The Collection was exhibited in 1971, accompanied by a catalogue that detailed its enormous range.

Object details

Categories
Fashion
Clothing
Europeana Fashion Project
Object type
Ensemble
Parts
This object consists of 6 parts.

  • Tunic
  • Trousers
  • Sweater
  • Belt
  • Boot
  • Boot
TitleCosmos
Materials and techniques
Woollen jersey, with patent leather belt and boots
Wool Jersey
Patent Leather
Lead
Metal
Brief description
Man's ensemble of white wool jersey tunic, black wool jersey trousers, black wool roll neck sweater, black leather belt, black ankle boots; French, 1967.
Physical description
White wool jersey tunic, sleeveless, with metal zippers, worn over black ribbed poloneck sweater and black jersey ski trousers. Leather belt with lead buckle and black patent leather ankle boots with large circular pattern tops.
Dimensions
  • Shoe's height height: 23cm
  • Shoe's width width: 10.2cm
  • Shoe's length length: 30.5cm
Production typeHaute couture
Gallery label
(2015-2016)
Label for the exhibition Shoes: Pleasure and Pain
Men in Space
In the 1960s, French fashion designer Pierre Cardin tapped into the vogue for space-age style and championed the return of the boot. His bold, futuristic designs for active young men and women featured shiny, show-stopping boots that were also practical. Materials for footwear underwent radical changes in this period. The zipper closure became
a fashion feature and was quickly copied by many other manufacturers.

Men’s ankle boots
1967
France
Pierre Cardin
Patent leather
Given by Pierre Cardin
V&A: T.703D&E-1974
Credit line
Given by the designer
Production
Autumn/Winter 1967
Summary
Pierre Cardin regarded his 'Cosmos outfits' as the style of the year. This outfit forms part of the Cecil Beaton Collection, brought together by the society photographer Sir Cecil Beaton (1904-1980). With great energy and determination, Beaton contacted the well-dressed elite of Europe and North America to help create this lasting monument to the art of dress. The Collection was exhibited in 1971, accompanied by a catalogue that detailed its enormous range.
Associated object
T.75-1974
Bibliographic reference
Fashion : An Anthology by Cecil Beaton. London : H.M.S.O., 1971 264
Collection
Textiles and Fashion Collection
Accession number
T.703 to C-1974

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Record createdDecember 15, 1999
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O17496/cosmos-ensemble-cardin-pierre/
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