World-renowned fashion designer Paco Rabanne has passed away in Portsall, Britanny. He was aged 88.
Born Francisco Rabaneda Cuervo, Rabanne was known globally for his fragrances and fashion designs. The news of his death was confirmed by Spanish group Puig, which controls the Paco Rabanne label, Rabanne exited two decades ago.
José Manuel Albesa, president of Puig's fashion and beauty division, in a statement to WWD, said: "Paco Rabanne made transgression magnetic. Who else could induce fashionable Parisian women to clamor for dresses made of plastic and metal? Who but Paco Rabanne could imagine a fragrance called Calandre – the word means "automobile grill", you know – and turn it into an icon of modern femininity? That radical, rebellious spirit set him apart: There is only one Rabanne."
"With his passing, we are reminded once again of his enormous influence on contemporary fashion, a spirit that lives on in the house that bears his name," Albesa concluded.
Who was Paco Rabanne?
Paco Rabanne was born on February 18, 1934, in the Basque town of Pasaia, Gipuzkoa province. He started his career by creating jewelry for famous brands like Dior, Givenchy and Balenciaga before he started his own fashion house in 1966. It was later in 1968 that he collaborated with Puig for his line of fragrances.
Besides his fashion prowess, he dealt with a fair share of controversies, particularly for his eccentric media statements. He came to be known as an Enfant terrible of the 1960s French fashion world.
