Basque fashion designer Francisco Rabaneda Cuervo, known as Paco Rabanne, died this Friday, February 3, in Portsall (France) at the age of 88, according to a statement confirmed by the Spanish group Puig, owners of the brand. At the moment, the causes of his death have not been disclosed. Born on February 18, 1934 in Pasaia (Gipuzkoa), the tailor was known for his textile creations and his perfume brand. “I am deeply saddened by the passing of Paco Rabanne. The story of Puig and Paco Rabanne begins in the late 1960s with the launch of Calandre, the perfume created shortly after the designer launched 12 unwearable dresses in contemporary materials. His great personality conveys his daring, revolutionary and provocative vision of the fashion world through a unique aesthetic. It will continue to be a key source of inspiration for Puig’s fashion and fragrance teams, who work together to express Paco Rabanne’s radically modern codes. My sincere condolences to his family and everyone who knew him,” said Marc Puig, Group Executive President.
Rabanne received the 2010 National Fashion Design Award for “his innovation and contribution to all aspects of 20th Century culture”. He is the son of a pro-republic Andalusian general named Francisco Rabaneda Postigo, who was shot in Santoña (Cantabria) in 1937. His mother was Baskin and was an activist and member of the leadership of the Spanish Communist Party (PCE). . Rabanne did not move to France with his family until he was five years old. After settling in Paris, he studied architecture at the National Superior School of Fine Arts. He quickly entered the world of fashion because his mother had worked at the Balenciaga fashion studio in San Sebastián.
Paco Rabanne showing his collection at Women’s Wear Daily, October 27, 1966. Fairchild Archive (Penske Media via Getty Images)
Initially, he designed accessories for couturiers such as Givenchy, Balenciaga and Dior. In 1963 he presented his first suit collection, in which he mixed materials such as plastic, paper and aluminium. From then on, he created an empire in the world of fashion, ranging from haute couture to clothing, perfumes and decorative elements. His brand became part of the Spanish group Puig in 1986, but they have been working together since 1969 to create a lucrative fragrance market with perfumes such as Paco Rabannepour Homme and 1 Million. The union between the designer and the fashion and beauty company came after Antonio and Mariano Puig, second-generation members of the family business, visited Rabanne at his offices near the Folies Bergère in the French capital. They sealed a loyal alliance with a designer capable of translating passion and youthful rebellion into successful fragrances.
Rabanne announced in 1999 that he was leaving haute couture. Puig then decided to put an end to this activity, given the high cost, and the designer would continue to take care of the ready-to-wear collections and take care of the perfume lines. He was also known for his artistic pursuits and philosophical side. The Spanish tailor, based on his particular interpretation of the prophecies of the great Nostradamus, concluded that the Mir station will fall on the French capital on August 11, 1999, as he wrote in a book.
“Paco Rabanne made transgression magnetic. Who else could make elegant Parisian women clamor for dresses made of plastic and metal? Who but Paco Rabanne could imagine a fragrance called Calandre (meaning “Autogrill”) and make it an icon of modern femininity? This radical and rebellious spirit distinguishes him: 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 Maison that bears his name,” said Jose Manuel Albesa, President of Puig’s Beauty and Fashion Division.