Pierre Cardin made honorary member of Russian Academy of Arts, attends
ceremony in Moscow .

MOSCOW, RUSSIA (NOVEMBER 27, 2008) REUTERS -
French fashion designer Pierre Cardin was made an honorary member
of the Russian Academy of Arts at an award ceremony in Moscow on Thursday
(November 27).
The Italian-born couturier, 86, is known for his unisex style and for
creating the world's first 'pret-a-porter' (ready-to-wear) fashion collection.

President of the Russian Academy of Arts, Georgia-born sculptor Zurab
Tsereteli, showed Cardin around an exhibition at the Academy of Arts in
Moscow, before the award ceremony.
The Russian Academy of Arts has over 3,000 members and 150 honorary
members.
The French couturier has long-standing links with Russia. His company
has several shops in the capital, Moscow.
The fashion veteran is expected to branch out soon and create stage
decorations for the Russian rock opera Juno and Avos, by Alexei Rybnikov. The
opera was the first Soviet work of art to be performed at Cardin's Theatre in
Paris.
Pierre Cardin was born on July 7, 1922, near Venice, Italy, to
French parents. In 1936, at the age of 14, he started work as a tailor's
assistant, disappointing his father who wanted him to go into the family wine
business.
In 1947 he began to work for Christian Dior, before opening his own
fashion house in 1950. He presented his first collection in 1953, and a year
later his "bubble dresses" triumphed throughout the world.