Allegations of forged wills
Descendants argue about inheritance from fashion designer Cardin
8/3/2023, 8:10 p.m
Fashion designer Pierre Cardin has no children of his own, after his death his nephew Rodrigo Basilicati is to run the business. That’s what the Frenchman says in his will. But there are doubts about the authenticity. An inheritance dispute breaks out.
Almost three years after the death of French fashion designer Pierre Cardin, his descendants are fighting over his inheritance. Three of the fashion designer’s great-nieces have filed a lawsuit alleging fraudulent exploitation of weakness, aggravated breach of trust and fraud. Judicial circles in Paris confirmed a corresponding report by the magazine “Challenges”. The investigations are still ongoing.
Pierre Cardin (left) and Rodrigo
(Photo: imago images/Starface)
According to the “Challenges” report, the three great-nieces accuse their cousin Rodrigo Basilicati-Cardin of having made himself boss of the fashion company with the help of a forged will and preventing the sale of the company.
Basilicati-Cardin denies the allegations. His uncle made it clear several times that he should succeed him, “right down to the will”. “My goal is to bring the brand forward again, not to sell it. That was also my uncle’s will,” he emphasized. For his part, he is suing the three great-nieces for defamation.
Will designates sole heirs
Basilicati-Cardin had found a will signed by Cardin in 2016, which made him the sole heir, in his home in 2020. Its authenticity is currently being checked. At that time there had been a takeover bid for the company. The company conglomerate also includes hotels, castles and ships. The fortune of the fashion designer is estimated at several hundred million euros.
Cardin died in December 2020 at the age of 98. He was born in Venice but grew up in France. Since 1950 he had his own fashion house. He quickly made a name for himself as an innovator in the fashion world, for example with his legendary “ball dresses” from 1954 or his space collection from 1964.
Cardin left no children. He had relationships with both women and men. A love story connected him with the French film icon Jeanne Moreau for four years. Last March, the fashion company took part in the prêt-à-porter shows in Paris for the first time in 25 years.