Paco Rabanne, as multiple sources are reporting, has passed away in his French home at age of 88. The passing was confirmed moments ago by PUIG the company behind his fashion brand.
“The House of Paco Rabanne wishes to honour our visionary designer and founder who passed away today at the age of 88. Among the most seminal fashion figures of the 20th century, his legacy will remain a constant source of inspiration. We are grateful to Monsieur Rabanne for establishing our avant-garde heritage and defining a future of limitless possibilities,” the in-house team at Paco Rabanne shared in the official statement.
Maison Paco Rabanne while still running a successful ready-to-wear business, is today globally known for its unparalleled venture into the fragrance industry. From 1 Million, to Invictus the company is one of the leading manufacturers in the field.
Born Francisco Rabaneda Cuervo on 18th of February 1934, later taking on pseudonym of Paco Rabanne, the designer was known as one of the most rebellious creatives of the 1960s. Rabanne loved women in many ways, his designs were out of this world, and many say the same influenced one of the most iconic fashion films Who Are You, Polly Magoo? (1966). Metal dresses are nothing new for Rabanne, already in 1970 the designer was creating dresses of gold. The linked metallic tile design was first presented in 1970 by the designer.
These head turning metallic dresses by Paco Rabanne transformed the wearers into golden statues. Many say the designer was inspired by Egyptian queen Cleopatra.
From an early age Paco was exposed to the best of the fashion world. His mother was chief seamstress of the legendary Cristobal Balenciaga, worked alongside him at his first couture atelier in Donosita, the Basque Country. Balenciaga moved Paco’s mother and family to Paris in 1937 when he opened his Parisian Atelier.
“I defy anyone to design a hat, coat or dress that hasn’t been done before…The only new frontier left in fashion is the finding of new materials” – Paco Rabanne
Just as many fashion designers reshaping the industry, Paco Rabanne is also an architect, he studied architecture at L’Ecole Nationale des Beaux-Arts, yet he was still interested in fashion. He started making money by creating fashion sketches at Givenchy and Dior as well as footwear sketches for Charles Jourdan. However, unlike many architects turned fashion designers it took 10 years for Francisco to turn into Paco. In fact, after his architecture studies Francisco has worked for the famed architectural engineer Auguste Perret for a decade!
“I defy anyone to design a hat, coat or dress that hasn’t been done before…The only new frontier left in fashion is the finding of new materials,” – Paco Rabanne
His first break into fashion came with his interested in jewellery design. He was quickly picked up to design jewellery for Balenciaga, Dior and Givenchy. Following the establishing of his fashion house in 1996, when the name Paco Rabanne was born. Yet, he was game changing, his first collection was titled: 12 Unwearable Dresses in Contemporary Materials.
Rabanne has influenced the 1960s in multiple ways. He got even more famous after designing Jane Fonda’s Barbarella costume. Locally, Rabanne teamed up with massively famous French singer Francoise Hardy, who he worked with for years to come.
Paco and Hollywood worked well together in the 1960s as well as seventies, designing dress for James Bond movies, as well as Audrey Hepburn om Paco in Two for the Road, 1967. This massive success on the big screen, allowed Paco Rabanne to turn into a true brand. Entering at an early stage the fragrance industry, teaming with PUIG who the maison works with to this day.
