Paco Rabanne

Paco Rabanne presented his first runway show in 1966, calling the collection “Twelve Unwearable Dresses in Contemporary Materials.” Resembling futuristic armor, the garments were made from discs of Rhodoid plastic, joined with metal rings. “We must look for new materials in order to find new shapes,” Rabanne believed. It was an idea that would establish him as a leading experimental designer.

Rabanne was born Francisco Rabaneda y Cuervo in 1934. He was raised in the Basque region of Spain, but political unrest forced his family to flee to France when he was still a child. He later studied architecture for twelve years at the École des Beaux Arts in Paris. “Fashion is the same process as architecture,” he reflected. “Both are concerned with very precise limits—in fashion, those of a woman’s body.” Rabanne produced handbag illustrations for Charles Jourdan and Roger Model to pay for his architectural training, and the work sparked his interest in the fashion industry. Rabanne began to design unusual buttons, embroideries, accessories, and jewelry in the 1950s—some of which were produced for such eminent French fashion houses as Christian Dior and Hubert de Givenchy.

The modernistic plastic and metal materials Rabanne used for his jewelry provided inspiration for his fashions, which he felt should not be limited by conventional fabrics. Early reviews were mixed: while many French fashion journalists were dismayed by the designer’s disregard for tradition, American audiences were intrigued. Although Rabanne insisted that he never intended to become a fashion designer, he continued to present clothing collections. His later work incorporated metal discs, paper, leather, rubber, and even fabric, adding new textures and shapes to his signature chainmail technique.

Although Rabanne’s impact had lessened by the mid-1970s, his radical take on clothing materials and construction continues to inspire other designers. Indian designer Manish Arora served as the creative director at Paco Rabanne, from 2011 to 2012, followed by Julien Dossena who continues to carry on the brand's legacy.