Renowned fashion designer Paco Rabanne has passed away at the age of 88. He died on Friday, February 3, at his home in France. The news of his demise was confirmed by the official social media handle of his brand.
Rabanne was famous for his eccentric clothing designs, which included space age and metallic ensembles. The Spanish-born designer rose to prominence in the 1960s with his debut collection, Manifesto: 12 Unwearable Dresses in Contemporary Materials. Continue reading to know more about Rabanne’s life and career.
Paco Rabanne Passes Away at 88
The brand released a statement on Friday, announcing the sad news: “The House of Paco Rabanne wishes to honor 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 statement read further. José Manuel Albesa, the fashion president of Puig, the parent company of his brands, also paid his tribute and said Robanne’s work ‘made transgression magnetic.’
“Who else could induce fashionable Parisian women to clamor for dresses made of plastic and metal. That radical, rebellious spirit set him apart: There is only one Rabanne,” he added. Marc Puig, chief executive officer of Puig, said, “Rabanne was a major personality in fashion whose daring, revolutionary and provocative vision, conveyed through a unique aesthetic.”
Rabanne was Born into a Military Family in Spain
Paco Rabanne was born into a military family in Spain. His father, a colonel, was executed by nationalist forces in 1936, and his mother took the family to Paris in 1939. Rabanne studied architecture at l’École Nationale des Beaux-Arts and started drawing fashion sketches to earn money.
He then started designing jewelry for Givenchy, Balenciaga, and Dior. In 1966, he created his fashion brand, Paco Rabanne, and rose to global fame. In his debut collection, the 12 Unwearable Dresses in Contemporary Materials, models were seen wearing dresses made of sharp metals, which led to controversy.
“I have always had the impression of being a time accelerator. Of going as far as is reasonable for one’s time and not indulge in the morbid pleasure of the known things, which I view as decay,” he said, reminiscing on the collection in 2016.
The Designer Made a Name for Himself in the Fragrance Industry
Rabanne entered the fragrance industry in 1968 when he signed a contract with perfume pioneers, the Puig family. Over the years, he launched the fragrances Calandre and Lady Million, which became an instant hit and still maintain a stronghold in the market.
In 1999, he retired from the fashion industry and had rarely been seen in public ever since. The same year, he sparked controversy by predicting that the Russian space station Mir would crash into the city of Paris. He made the claims in his book Fire From Heaven and said that he had foreseen the future by reading French astrologer Nostradamus.
Our condolences to Paco Rabanne’s family and friends. May his soul rest in peace!
