Pierre Cardin
Geometric designs in a futurist style by Jean Garçon for the couturier Pierre Cardin.
Red squares, red inverted triangles, blue triangles and blue triangles containing white inverted triangles were the four geometric shapes which Jean Garçon (1928-2010) chose to use for the suits in this promotional set for Pierre Cardin, the Italian-French couturier. These futurist shapes tied in well with Pierre Cardin’s futurist fashion designs of the period. The opposite colours (blue on the red suits and red on the blue suits) have been used for the indices. Touches of yellow and brown complete the colour line-up. The kings are represented by concentric squares, the queens by concentric circles and the jacks by concentric diamonds. All four colours (no black) are used on the court cards and Jokers. Note the unconventional arrangement of the pips on the 10s, 9s and 7s. On the extra card in each pack, the red and blue colours are reversed.
Special promotional playing cards for Pierre Cardin designed by Jean Garçon, printed by Grimaud, France, 1973. 2 x 52 cards + 2 Jokers + 1 extra card in presentation box with sliding tray. Size: 56 x 87 mm. On the extra card in each pack, the red and blue colours are reversed.
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By Roddy Somerville
France • Member since May 31, 2022
Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.
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