Pierre Cardin'S Thirty Years In China

I am not sure that I was the spokesman of Western values, but I want to explain to people what capitalism is like.

Because in the socialist countries, capitalism is endowed with the image of degeneration, but these are not facts! For Pierre Cardin, a generation of Chinese who grew up after the reform and opening up, he was once the pronoun of western fashion.

Over the past 30 years, Pierre Cardin has been flooded with dazzling luxury brands such as Louis Weedon, Dior and planda. It will never arouse the special attention of Chinese people.

But when we noticed a little, we found that Pierre Cardin still left an impression which was hard to replace in Chinese memory.

At 6 pm on November 18th, China News Weekly went to Pierre Cardan's headquarters in Paris.

Mr. Cardin waited at the door of the company as if it was not the first time he had seen each other.

"Because I am a madman when I join a socialist country," says China Newsweek. When it comes to entering the Chinese market more than 30 years ago, when you are in a cultural background that is completely different from western ideology, have you ever been worried or even afraid?

Dan Cardan: never worried.

At that time, my adventures in China had aroused many people's suspicions, because I threw myself into a socialist country, everyone said I was a madman, but I have never doubted myself.

Before I came to China, I had been in the Soviet Union for a year, and I did a lot of fashion promotion in Moscow.

I have not had any trouble in doing business in socialist countries.

Even in the Soviet Union, I enjoyed full freedom.

I'm not a spy, and I don't ask too much.

On the contrary, I always want to help them, and always try to understand them and analyze the situation there.

China News Weekly: when you came to China in 1978, you left behind such a historical photo: you walk among a group of Chinese people, your clothes and temperament are in sharp contrast with them.

What are you thinking about in the picture?

Cartan: they looked at me curiously, and I felt like an alien.

Actually, I have sympathy and respect for them in my heart.

At that time, Chinese people were not easy. They fought for a dream for a lifetime.

We should let them realize that this is not a real paradise.

I don't want to criticize anything, nor do I have the right to criticize anything.

This is just a testimony and inner reflection.

China News Weekly: in 1980s, "Pierre Cardin" is a dream brand in China.

For the first time, the Chinese have known the western standard of living.

Now it seems that you have taught the Chinese a fine life and fashion course.

Dan Cardan: I'm not sure that I was a spokesman for Western values, but I want to explain to people what capitalism is like.

Because in a socialist country, capitalism is endowed with a degenerate image, for example, capitalists earn a lot of money, exploit workers and sell slaves, but these are not facts.

When I first went to China, I went to many places to see different factories.

Chinese people are very easy to get along with.

With them, you can get a very clear answer.

When a glass of wine goes down, it will become a friend.

But this is not the case with the Japanese.

I have a Japanese friend who has been in friendship for 50 years. Until now, I don't know what he is thinking.

Because of this kind of national character, I have maintained a very good relationship with the Chinese people, especially with the then Minister of light industry.

Before I opened the first Maksim restaurant in Beijing, I once told the minister that I came to China to promote mutual understanding between China and France. Therefore, I intend to invest some Chinese models in Paris to give them new fashion images instead of traditional Chinese tunic suits or cheongsam, because these old costumes are very closed and politically dense.

He agreed on the spot, assuming that I would bear all the expenses.

This activity has been a great success, and the media attention it has brought to me has never been seen before.

I go to China to understand them and try to make them understand the outside world.

I personally invested a lot of money, including investment in Maksim restaurant.

I didn't stay like other investors for one or two years and lost a lot of money, but I stayed.

Because of the regulation of the French financial system, I can not directly pfer from France to China.

So, I had to withdraw funds from my industrial income in Japan and pfer the money to China through a Japanese bank opened with offices in Beijing.

The Maksim restaurant I invested in was the only high-level western restaurant in Beijing, and was the symbol of capitalism in Beijing.

I spare no effort in persuading Chinese officials. Maksim can provide an exchange space for diplomats and heads of state who come to Beijing.

In this way, my relationship with China has become more and more close and positive.

I can only affect those who like Pierre Cardin.

Even in Paris, there are people who like me and do not like me.

I was the first westerner to let the Chinese know what fashion is.

I am very much like Marco Polo because we all have adventurous spirit.

When I showed my work in Paris spring in 1958, it was predicted that Pierre Cardin would be forgotten.

But now I am the only designer living in that era, and I have always maintained the independence of the company's property rights.

"I am full of hope for China", China Newsweek: how do you comment on China's development?

Cardan: everything has changed dramatically.

Just like our Chinese factory, we are fully capable of making products comparable to those of Paris.

This is a big step forward.

I have seen some very excellent Chinese students who were my tour guides in China at that time.

During the contact, I found that they were depressed by the political climate. They even felt ashamed to eat rice in front of me.

The great mistake made by the Soviet Union is that they opened too fast, and even a tragedy.

Without rules, society can only be chaotic.

I understood this very early.

I am full of hope for China.

China Newsweek: you said there were no real fashion designers in China and Japan.

When do you think China will be able to build its own fashion and luxury goods industry?

Can Beijing become another fashion center?

Cardan: there are still some designers in Japan, but China will undoubtedly become the fashion power in the future.

I often see great potential Chinese designers in Paris fashion week.

I don't think you Chinese have really demonstrated your creativity.

Paris, like a market, brings together all the people in the industry.

There are not many real French designers.

Like the Cannes Film Festival, you can't produce films by yourself.

China's luxury industry must first be driven by quality, followed by reputation.

The development of contemporary new technology is amazing.

I always try to use new technology in my writing.

In the future, China will take the lead in any direction. India will be 30 years from now. Africa will be a topic in 60 years' time.

(China Newsweek): through brand licensing, you can make your clothing design around the world more "adjust measures to local conditions".

But in recent years, the value of "Pierre Cardin" brand has declined because of over commercialization.

Have you ever announced that you want to reshape your image in the Chinese market? What are your specific plans?

Cardan: the licensing strategy is what I've been trying to do for decades.

Good writing, good creative talent can not be equated with high prices.

This is not the gap between poverty, backwardness and luxury.

My train of thought is to give more factories the right to reproduce and produce my fashion design rights.

There are 1 billion 300 million people in China, so long as a small part is interested in my products.

Although I was a pioneer in the Chinese market, my name became a household name.

But everyone can have different ways to operate the market.

China Newsweek: can you provide some views on Sino French relations?

What do you think of the current international financial crisis?

Mr. Cartan: I've done a lot of work in diplomacy and industry, and I've done enough.

I just want to continue to do what I am doing now, not only in clothing, but also in many other interesting things.

The current financial crisis is just a wave that will pass away.

Many of the concepts of numbers and money are virtual.

Yang Jing: editor in charge