Pierre Cardin 

(UK: /ˈkɑːrdæ̃, -dæn/, US: /kɑːrˈdæ̃, -ˈdæn/, French: [pjɛʁ
kaʁdɛ]̃ ; born Pietro Costante Cardin[a] on 2 July 1922)[1] is an Italian-born naturalised-French[2]
[3]
 fashion designer. He is known for his avant-garde style and his Space Age designs. He
prefers geometric shapes and motifs, often ignoring the female form.[citation needed] He advanced
into unisex fashions, sometimes experimental, and not always practical. He founded his fashion
house in 1950 and introduced the "bubble dress" in 1954.
The Italian-born, French fashion designer, Pierre Cardin – who celebrates his 97th birthday today
– found fame during the mid-to-late 20th century with avant-garde, space-age designs. However,
there’s one bulbous, futuristic work, closely associated with Pierre, which he did not create
himself: his incredible mid-century summer house.

“Located in Cannes, Lovag’s Palais Bulles—or Bubble Palace—steps down the Estérel Massif
like a creeping mat of tapioca,” according to our book, Houses: Extraordinary Living. “Designed
in 1975, it is an example of the Hungarian architect’s philosophy of ‘habitology’—a vague
concept that included banning right angles and straight lines. Circles and curves, he thought,
were closer to nature and closer, therefore, to the human body. 

“The form of the house was created organically: Lovag first got to know the terrain, creating an
iron rebar network without foundations, deciding then on the type of openings. The framework
was covered with mesh, concrete, and two layers of fiberglass-reinforced polyester. There is a
very similar house by Lovag—his first built project—farther down the slope, called Maison
Bernard; it was recently renovated by French architect Odile Dec

Cardin bought the house in 1992, and listed it for sale in 2017, with an asking price of €350m, so
it’s unclear how long the nonagenarian will hang on to his bulbous pad by the sea, though we
certainly can’t think of a better owner for such a curvy dwelling. For more unreal real
estate, order a copy of Houses: Extraordinary Living, here

Not a fan of right angles? You can escape them completely if you choose to buy the
iconic Bubble Palace, which was recently placed on the market for the $355
million, according to WWD. It was previously reported to be on the market for $456
million. In 1989, Pierre Cardin, the famous Italian-born French fashion designer,
became the second owner of the house, which is located on a rocky cliff within Massif
de L’Esterel, a volcanic mountain range overlooking the Mediterranean Sea in the
South of France. Bubble Palace was designed by the Hungarian architect Antti
Lovag, who wanted to build a home that mimicked humanity's earliest dwellings in
caves. The mansion was built between 1975 and 1989 and, spans roughly 13,000
square feet, including dozens of rooms; the grounds, meanwhile, boast three
swimming pools, several gardens, and a 500-seat amphitheater.

Over the years, Bubble Palace has hosted many swanky parties and events; MTV
hosted James Bond’s 40th birthday party there in 2002, while this past May, Dior held
an indoor/outdoor fashion show at the sprawling house, featuring the brand’s resort
collection. In 2012, Assouline published a book replete with beautiful pictures from
the mansion and estate. Until Bubble Palace is sold, the entire estate can be rented
for a daily rate of roughly $31,000.