Paco Rabanne, the Spanish-born designer, died at the age of 88 in Portsall, Brittany.
The death of Francisco Rabaneda y Cuervo – Rabanne’s birth name – has been confirmed by a spokesman for Spanish band Puig, which controls the Paco Rabanne label he left two decades ago.
He founded his eponymous brand in 1966, and although it is now best known for its aftershaves and fragrances, it was his Space Age designs in the 1960s that caught the attention of many.
A statement shared on the fashion house’s official Instagram account said: “La Maison Paco Rabanne wishes to honor our visionary designer and founder who passed away today at the age of 88.
“Among the most influential fashion figures of the 20th century, his legacy will remain a constant source of inspiration.
“We are grateful to Monsieur Rabanne for establishing our pioneering legacy and defining a future of limitless possibilities.”
Nicknamed “l’enfant terrible” in his early years, he helped disrupt the status quo of the Parisian fashion scene, alongside fellow French designers Pierre Cardin and André Courrèges.
Her flamboyant designs frequently used unconventional materials such as metal, paper and plastic, with her debut collection aptly titled: “Manifesto: 12 Hardwearing Dresses in Contemporary Materials”.
Shown by barefoot models on a catwalk in a Parisian luxury hotel, the collection included a silver chainmail-inspired mini dress made from aluminum plates, which was worn over a flesh-colored bodysuit.
Baroness Helen Bachofen von Echt later wore the dress to a party in New York where she danced with Frank Sinatra, according to the V&A museum.
Adopting cutting-edge materials and modern working methods, he used pliers rather than needle and thread to create the handcrafted outfits, made from strips of plastic bonded to metal rings.
The collection – both futuristic and medieval – has inspired many contemporary designers.
He created the famous green costume worn by Jane Fonda in the 1968 cult classic sci-fi film Barbarella, with many celebrities including Beyonce, Taylor Swift and Blackpink all wearing his clothes.
Commenting on the influential 1966 show, the president of Puig’s beauty and fashion division, Jose Manuel Albesa, said: “Paco Rabanne made the transgression magnetic. Who else could inspire fashionable Parisians (to) claim plastic and metal dresses.”
Rabanne partnered with the Spanish Puig family in the late 1960s, launching their collection of perfumes and scents, which would serve as the springboard for the company’s international expansion and vast commercial success.
His first fragrance, Calandre, is still available today, and his Lady Million Eau de Parfum – presented in a distinctive gold ingot-shaped bottle – remains a best-seller.
Photo: AP
Born in 1934 in the Basque Country, in the western Pyrenees, he escaped the Spanish Civil War by fleeing to France at the age of five alongside his mother, who was head seamstress at Balenciaga.
He first studied architecture at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, before starting his career in fashion in the early 1960s.
He began his career designing high-end handbags and shoes, before moving into fashion and jewelry, selling his big plastic accessories and buttons to fashion houses.
Reflecting the cultural climate of the mid-1960s, his clothes used post-war industrial materials, creating a chunky and bold look. His architectural training also shone through in much of his work.
After a long career spanning three decades, Rabanne retired from the design house in 1999.
In 2010, the designer was named an Officer of the Legion of Honor in France, the country’s highest civilian honor.
