Setback for Rodrico Basilicati-Cardin.
The Paris Court of Appeal rendered a ruling on January 25, which AFP was able to consult on Friday, which invalidated the will of Pierre Cardin presented by his nephew, who considers himself the heir to his entire fortune.
The designer known worldwide for his bubble dresses and his love story with actress Jeanne Moreau died in December 2020 at the age of 98.
He had no children.
His estate, which is very conflicted, includes 22 heirs, nephews, nieces, great-nephews and great-nieces.
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The designer's great-nephew, Rodrigo Basilicati-Cardin, who became general director of the group in 2018 and then its president in November 2020, relied on a holographic will from Pierre Cardin found on July 13, 2022 at the deceased's home, dated November 10 2016.
According to the court, in this eleven-line document the initials “PC” appear in the tenth line and cannot be considered as “affixed following the writing”, which would make the will valid.
“It cannot therefore be concluded that there is a signature on the disputed writing (…) which prevents it from being sent into possession,” according to the judgment.
“An attempt to spoliate inheritance”
Since the death of Pierre Cardin, his family has been torn apart over his estate.
The designer left behind a rich heritage: a holding company and subsidiaries, licenses, brands and real estate, particularly in Paris and Vaucluse.
The group's assets are estimated between 750 and 800 million euros, depending on the buyout proposals, Me Jean-Louis Rivière, lawyer for the designer's great-nieces, told AFP last August.
These great-nieces, who have rallied most of the Cardin family to their position, want the Cardin group to be sold and denounce “an attempted spoliation of inheritance”.
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For his part, Rodrigo Basilicati-Cardin, who says he worked for nearly 24 years with his great-uncle, wishes to “respect the wishes of Pierre Cardin, preserve his empire and defend his image”.
Under his leadership, the Pierre Cardin house made its return last March to the official women's ready-to-wear calendar in Paris after a quarter of a century of absence.
In December, he reopened with great fanfare the brand's historic boutique, facing the Élysée.