French-Italian fashion designer, Pierre Cardin has died at the age of 98.

Cardin known for his visionary creations and also bringing stylish clothes to the masses, died at a hospital in Neuilly, west of Paris, on Tuesday at the age of 98, his family told news agency AFP.

France's Fine Arts Academy confirmed Cardin's death in a tweet, adding that members of the academy are "very sad."

Cardin was born in Italy in 1922 but emigrated to France as a young child. He founded his own fashion house in 1950 after a stint with Christian Dior and built up a global business empire.

Along with Paco Rabanne and Andre Courrege, Cardin was hailed for developing the futuristic Space-Age-inspired styles that defined looks in the 1960s and 1970s.

He was also credited with bringing stylish clothes to the masses, popularizing the turtleneck sweater for men and bodysuits for women.

Cardin adopted a large-scale licensing system that ensured distribution throughout the world, putting his name on products as diverse as ties, cigarettes, perfumes, and mineral water.