In pics: The legacy of French fashion designer Pierre Cardin, who passed away today at age 98

Pierre Cardin was a designer way ahead of his time. The French designer was an innovator not just of fashion, but also of pens, furniture, fragrance, and more. Each of his creations speak about his experimental nature and his avant-garde style in the 1960s and 70s. (Photo: Reuters/ pierrecardinofficiel/ Instagram)

Born in Venice, Italy, the designer's father wanted him to be an architect, but he knew in his heart that he wanted to pursue fashion designing. (Photo: pierrecardinofficiel/ Instagram)

The designer passed away at the age of 98 on December 29. He had also worked at the couture house of Christian Dior. The Fine Arts Academy announced his death in a tweet. (Photo: pierrecardinofficiel/ Instagram)

While he had opened his first shop in 1950, it was in 1959 that he created the first ready-to-wear collection for women. (Photo: Reuters)

Then after a year, he introduced the first ready-to-wear collection for men. (Photo: Reuters)

According to Reuters, “in a career spanning more than 60 years, Cardin drew scorn and admiration from fellow fashion designers for his brash business sense. He maintained that he built his business empire without ever asking a bank for a loan. Cardin was the first designer to sell clothes collections in department stores in the late 1950s, and the first to enter the licensing business for perfumes, accessories and even food – now a major profit driver for many fashion houses". (Photo: Reuters)

Pierre Cardin poses in front of his fashion creations in his museum called "Past-Present-Future" in Paris. (Photo: Reuters)

He was also known as the Father of Fashion Branding. (Photo: Reuters)

He was known to have licensed his name for a variety of products, such as pens, watches, furniture and more. (Photo: Reuters)

He had also designed costumes for Jean Cocteau’s film 'Beauty and the Beast'. (Photo: Reuters)