Legendary designer Pierre Cardin won't get out of bed for less than US$1.3 Billion, or that is to say that you have no hope of getting your hands on his empire for any less than that figure.

    Cardin doesn't put on fashion shows anymore, but his substantial empire includes restaurants, hotels, food products with his name, and numerous other licensing deals. The 86-year-old designer tells the new issue of Fantastic Man, "The asking price is 1 billion euros [about $1.3 billion], and if prospective buyers can't pony up the funds, then that's their problem, not mine. It's not like I'm strapped for cash."

Cardin reveals that he was close to selling his company in 2008, but that deal fell through when the economy went south. Daniel P Dykes