1950s Pierre Cardin Haute Couture Aubergine Boucle Wool Skirt Suit

This Pierre Cardin haute couture wool skirt suit is a very early design from the couturier - circa 1953-1958 and is made by hand from richly textured bouclé wool in a deep yet subtle aubergine tone. We have attached a photo from the Fédération de la Haute couture et de la mode with the same neckerchief design in a double breasted version. The photo is not date attributed but suggests this may have been from his debut collection.

Cut to an elegant, elongated silhouette, it has a softly curved waist. The jacket’s long sleeves are anchored by substantial padded, doughnut-shaped cuffs, an unmistakable nod to Cardin’s cosmic aesthetic, echoing the circular motifs and architectural volumes that defined his space-age collections which were to come in the following decade. The collarless neckline is kept deliberately clean, offset by a small quilted, curved bouclé shawl attached at the back of the neck, which wraps around to tie at the front. The jacket fastens with knotted braid buttons in slightly different shade of purple, more of a grape colour, and is lined in aubergine and black silk. The matching skirt is a refined pencil silhouette with a wide waistband and two gentle pleats at the front to allow ease of movement. Fully lined in aubergine silk satin, it fastens at the back with a concealed tonal zip and hook-and-eye.

This rare ensemble is in excellent archival vintage condition with no issues of any note - it does not appear to have been altered. It has no size or composition labels and the fabric has no stretch. We believe it would best fit up to a size UK 8, US 4.

Notes on Designer: A visionary of modernism, Pierre Cardin redefined haute couture in the 1960s through sculptural silhouettes and futuristic detailing that bridged fashion and space-age design. After early work with Christian Dior, he established a signature style built on geometric silhouettes, bubble dresses, circular cut-outs, and innovative synthetic fabrics. His designs rejected romanticism in favour of clean lines and sculptural structure, reflecting the era’s fascination with technology and space exploration. Cardin’s work was worn by cultural icons including The Beatles, Mia Farrow, and Jeanne Moreau, reinforcing his status at the forefront of avant-garde style. Beyond design, he was a pioneer of global licensing, transforming the commercial landscape of fashion.

MEASUREMENTS JACKET

BUST - 36 in. (91 cm)

WAIST - 32 in. (81 cm)

HIGH HIP - 37 in. (94 cm)

LENGTH - 22 in. (56 cm)

SHOULDERS - 17 in. (43 cm)

MEASUREMENTS SKIRT

WAIST - 28 in. (71 cm)

HIP - 38 in. (97 cm)

LENGTH - 28 in. (71 cm)