The new tablet from Pierre Cardin is made for fashionistas, though it lacks the latest and greatest tech specs. Photo: Courtesy Pierre Cardin

Apple’s minimalist aesthetic and modern design philosophy make the iPad’s sleek look tough to beat. One French fashion label is up for the challenge, with a new tablet that you can’t get off the rack.

Haute couture designer Pierre Cardin now offers an Android tablet device of its own, the first designer tablet to be sold in the United Kingdom.

Like RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook, the PC-7006 is a 7-inch device, smaller than the iPad and most other current Android tablet offerings. It’s running on a decent processor with ample power — Samsung’s 1-GHz Cortex A-8 — though backed by only 512 MB of RAM. The tablet comes in a Wi-Fi-only version, though if you want 3G, you’ll have to purchase a separate attachable dongle for reception.

Four gigs of onboard storage allow modest space for app installation, with an accompanying microSD slot expandable up to 16 GB. And of course, the tablet comes with a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for glamour shots. Appropriate, considering only the vainest of the vain will buy it.

Over the past two years, designer labels have tried to cash in on the flood of tablets entering the market. The typical approach is to offer a high-fashion iPad case, à la Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Coach. Others, like Stuart Hughes, opted for a pimped-out version of the iPad, encrusting Apple’s tablet in diamonds, bone and 24-carat gold. Pierre Cardin’s offering is somewhat more original, as it’s an actual device produced and owned by the label itself.

While the device may be fashion-forward, it’s sporting last year’s specs. The PC-7006 runs Android version 2.2 (Froyo), not 3.0 (Honeycomb), the tablet-optimized version of Android. Just like Samsung’s first Galaxy Tab, the designer tablet essentially runs a scaled-up version release originally made for phones, but on a 7-inch tablet’s dimensions.

The PC-7006 is all beauty, no brains. Photo: Courtesy Pierre Cardin

The PC-7006 does come with a fancy leather case, so however dated its insides are, at least it’ll look good.

The tablet is available on the Pierre Cardin website for 275 pounds or about $450. Though if you’re a true fashionista, you aren’t paying attention to price tags.