Paco Rabanne, École des Beauxs-Arts trained architect turned fashion designer and famed couturier. Enthralled with the contemporary modernist movement in both architecture and the arts and with new innovation of materials, Rabanne decided to debut a new haute couture collection of his own in 1966 labeled ” 12 unwearable dresses in contemporary materials” which caused quite a stir. He implemented materials that to date weren’t used in fashion, including metals, plastics paper, rubber and cardboard. He originally worked with refashioned sheet metals until he collaborated with his dealers to create rhodoïd plastics, which immediately became the designer’s signature. He, also,  later became credited with the innovations of fur knit wear and aluminum jersey, both introduced in 1968. “In fashion you have every liberty except one, don’t ever undermine a woman’s beauty”, those are words by Paco’s mother that stuck with him as he created. Granted his fashions may have appeared rather avant garde and wild, but women embraced his garments because of his doby consciousnessand his never imposing of fashion upon them. As an architect by training, consistent themes of light, clean lines and form were consistent in all of his work.  Luminescence was always reoccurring, inspired by the fluidity of sequined gowns of the  women of the 1930’s, so light would radiate from all of his models. He even went so far as to actually illuminate a fiberglass dress once.

In 1969 he released his first fragrance “Calandre” later followed by Paco Rabanne Pour Homme in 1973. Both became immediate sensations, but it was the bottle design that he took the most pleasure in, taking direct inspiration from architecture; Calandre being a literal interpertioon of the UN in New York City.  He was the first to make molded dresses that were seamless and disposable paper clothing  created with only one seam, but by 2000 he decided to stop doing couture, believing it to be irrelevant within our modern society. In 2003 Rosemary Rodriguez began to show the collections for the Paco Robanne label in Paris and in 2005 Patrick Robinson became artistic director. He showed in Paris until the Fall 2006 collection when he went to become artistic director of Gap, Inc. Since then the label has been at an apparent stand still. Owned by  Puig, the label now only produces accessories, watches, sunglasses, and over 36 fragrances, with a new one being released this summer.But what happened to the label? From what I can gather it sounds like it’s Robanne himself is doing the accessories, but I am unsure.  On the Paco Robanne site there is a mens Fall 2009 collection, but now that’s outdated, who designed that? I loved it though I want every single piece form it, but I can’t even find where to buy anything except the frangrances. It just appears that they stopped designing one day. Maybe since the economic downturn they are just focusing on Paco’s most successful sector, fragrance. Where is Paco Robanne and what is he oing these days, painting?  I know him and Patrick Robinson did not get along, with his refusing to work with Robanne with the conscious decision of not honoring the labels past, ignoring the archives and putting up a complete wall between him and history. I want the house of Paco Rabanne to re-emerge. I believe there is still a lot of room in fashion to work with unconventional materials and Rabanne would be the perfect brand to do that under. Will you return Rabanne? If you’re looking for an artistic director, I’m available, just throwing that out there…

Enjoy a physcadelic preview of one of his 1969 collection…