“My” Pierre Cardin
As soon as she was informed about the death of her close friend Pierre Cardin at the American Hospital in Paris, the General Consul of Ivory Coast in Greece, Mrs. Mero Kececioglu, burst into tears. “I am very sad to have lost a dear friend who despite the distance, we had a special connection and friendship which I am not sure I will be able to experience again.”
They met at a United Nations reception as they were both Goodwill Ambassadors of UNAIDS, fighting against the disease of Aids, both very philanthropist and altruistic. Immediately, a strong friendship developed between them, and a so-called ‘’chemistry’’ developed that lasted for many, many years!
His important friendship with Mero inspired him to adore Greece and especially Athens which he visited as many times as it was necessary to attend his fashion shows developed in the Peristyle of the Zappeion Megaron as well as the theatrical performances he directed and edited the costumes.
He was very strict with himself, a perfectionist, as he attended the rehearsals.
The Italian-born Pierre Cardin –from parents who were landowners and wine producers in Northern Italy– for Mero was not just a friend, but a brother, he was not a popular designer, a mere acquaintance, but the man entrusted with his personal collection of the enormous value of ordinary and collectibles costumes in order to be presented to the Athenian public and to strengthen her charity work in Africa and Greece.
The charismatic man who had the “touch of God” and managed to touch people’s minds and hearts through his inspired costumes, passed away. Dynamic and a great fighter, he was not afraid of death as he was a strong believer in life after death. For Pierre Cardin, “the woman was a holy person”, says Mero Kececioglu.
A deity who made him feel like he had to empower her personality, to highlight her body but mainly he felt the need to release her from her monotonous dress code.’’
His desire was to liberate the woman from her conservative image. Despite the fact he loved Italian cuisine and especially Italian salami, he lived like a monk and looked after his personal diet. He had his healthy lifestyle as a priority, as he never smoked or drank during his lifetime. He himself never had children, which was something that made him act like a father to his models behaving with affection and love.
As a result, his models adored him as much as his creations. He was very generous, protective, and helpful to young artists who wanted to distinguish themselves in any field. He respected the spiritual people, the royal titles, and the kings and he worried when he thought of the French loss of monarchy. At the same time, he was gracious, kind, warm, friendly, and humble.
A distinctive example of his simplicity was “when we waited for him at the airport’s VIP Lounge to drive him to his hotel with a limousine, for a fashion show in Athens, he had already taken a taxi,” she remembers with surprise. “When we realized that he was already at the hotel, I saw him exited at the elevator, telling us that we wanted to chat with a Greek taxi driver to find out more about everyday life in Athens.”
The Acropolis was one of his favorite sightseeing spots, as he could gaze at Athens from above, and loved to dine at Dionysos restaurant, tasting traditional Greek delicacies. He loved to make grandiose and ambitious plans, even until the last day of his life at the hospital.
These and much more were “my Pierre Cardin”!
