(Paco Rabanne, genus. February 18, 1934, San Sebastian, Spain) – French of Spanish origin, winner of numerous awards, artist, writer. Founder Paco Rabanne.
Biography and career
Childhood
“My mentality is double, my base is Spanish, and my external culture is French.”
Paco Rabanne was born on February 18, 1934 in San Sebastian, Spain. Birth name: Francisco Rabaneda y Cuervo. His father was a general; in 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, he was shot by the Francoists.
In 1939, after the death of his father, Francisco moved to France with his mother and grandmother. According to the designer himself, “these women had a tremendous influence on him, although they held directly opposite views on the world.” His grandmother was extremely religious and at the same time believed in magic. His mother, on the contrary, was an atheist and a convinced communist, and Francisco visited Moscow with her in 1950.
“I was, of course, greatly influenced by my mother - a Marxist, a materialist. She argued that religion is like football, the opium of the people. On the other hand, grandma. Christian and heiress of magicians. It was she who showed me the power of stone, the power of water, and explained the meaning of many magical symbols. I adored them, so different – my mother and grandmother, and was brought up between two opposites.”
- Education and early career
In 1952, Francisco entered the National School of Fine Arts, the architectural department. To pay for his studies, he created accessories and decorative elements clothes for Balenciaga. During this period, his mother worked at the Fashion House; she was an assistant to Cristobal Balenciaga.
In the mid-1950s. Francisco began making for,. He used metal, new artificial materials, for example, rhodoid, experimented with shape. In 1965, the designer sold about 20,000 different accessories.
By the 1960s Francisco Rabaneda y Cuervo decided to change his name and shortened it to Frank Rabann. believed that the mystical number 13 (the number of letters in the first and last name Franck Rabanne) was supposed to bring him good luck. After some time, he changed his name to Paco Rabanne. Paco is a diminutive, shortened form of the name Francisco and means "raven" in Greek. In the Cuervo family, this bird was considered the patron saint of the clan. Thus, since 1965, the designer began to sign his creations with the name Paco Rabanne.
- "12 dresses made from modern materials that cannot be worn"
“He’s not a couturier, he’s a metallurgist.”
Coco Chanel
In 1966, the designer presented his first collection entitled “12 Dresses Made from Modern Materials That Cannot Be Weared.” To demonstrate Rabanne's work, 12 barefoot black models took to the catwalk accompanied by musical accompaniment. They wore outfits made of plastic and metal. One set was created from aluminum plates and brass wire, the other from pliers, etc. The collection and show created a real sensation. The name Paco Rabanne became known throughout the world. Some experts called the designer "Jules Verne" High fashion", others noted the unwearability of his clothes.
“This collection was my manifesto, my thoughts embodied in a design. Thought number one: by that time fashion was absolutely boring and frigid. Thought number two: the time of the “iron ladies” was approaching - I don’t mean Margaret Thatcher, but feminists in general. And the female desire for emancipation is the need for external “protection,” that is, the need to wear a kind of armor. Moreover, at this time, when cars and skyscrapers were made from metal, even artists created their art objects from metal and iron. So I dressed the women in metal. It was very timely."
- Creating your own Fashion House
In 1966, Paco Rabanne also presented a collection of disposable paper clothing.
In 1967, Paco Rabanne founded the Paco Rabanne Fashion House in Paris. In the same year, he introduced aluminum disks connected by metal wire.
In 1969, the designer released his first perfume, the feminine floral-aldehydic fragrance Calandre.
In 1968, Paco Rabanne designed outfits for Jane Fonda's character, Barbarella, from the film of the same name. Items created by the designer were chosen by Brigitte Bardot, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Françoise Hardy and others.
In 1971, Paco Rabanne became a member.
In 1973, Paco Rabanne released the perfume Paco Rabanne Pour Homme, which became one of the most popular men's fragrances brand.
In 1976, Paco Rabanne opened a perfume manufacturing plant in Chartres, France.
In 1988, the fashion designer created a collection of dresses made from laser discs, holographic fiber and plexiglass.
In 1990, Paco Rabanne opened in Paris on Rue Cherche-Midi. The main themes of the interior were light, glass and metal.
In 1992, Paco Rabanne presented a retrospective of his work to the Royal Court of Spain at an exhibition in Seville.
- Paco Rabanne's departure from the Fashion House
In 1999, Paco Rabanne announced his departure from his own Fashion House. In July of the same year, the designer brought his latest Haute Couture collection, fall-winter 1999/2000, to Moscow. After the end of the official part, half-naked male models came out and presented the new Ultraviolet fragrance. After leaving the Fashion House, Paco Rabanne became interested in painting and graphics.
In 2005, the designer held an exhibition of his paintings at the Central House of Artists in Moscow. Paco Rabanne admitted that he began drawing as a child.
"I draw with early age. I am now seventy-two years old and I wanted to present my drawings before I die. One day I showed my work to Salvador Dali, and he said that I should continue to paint. And I continue to do this to this day... I mainly create faces and images that are reflected in graphic drawings. These are endless forms and attempts to find an answer to the question “Why?” Of course, everyone asks themselves questions about who we are, who I am and why I am on this Earth...”
One of Paco Rabanne's most famous works depicts a child releasing a white balloon and a dove into the sky. This film is dedicated to the tragic events in Beslan.
In 2011, Paco Rabanne, in collaboration with the Russian company AVK, developed the design of the Royal Masterpiece chocolate box.
- Paco Rabanne brand after the departure of the founder
After the departure of Paco Rabban, collections for the Fashion House different years created by Rosemary Rodriguez, Patrick Robinson, Christophe Decarnin, Aurillen Tremblay.
In 2006, Paco Rabanne's activities were discontinued.
In 2011, the Fashion House was appointed. In the same year, a collection of ready-made women's clothing Paco Rabanne spring-summer 2012. In 2012, Manish Arora announced his departure from the Fashion House. His position was taken by German designer Lydia Maurer. In 2013, Lydia also left the brand.
As of 2014, Paco Rabanne belongs to the Puig group of companies. The creative director of the brand is Julien Dossena.
Paco Rabanne Awards
1969. Beauty Products Industry Award for feminine scent Calandre.
1974. The Fragrance Foundation Recognition Awards for the men's fragrance Paco Rabanne Pour Homme.
1989. Order of Isabella the Catholic for her contribution to humanitarian projects.
1990. Golden Thimble Award from the International Fashion Festival.
1997. Golden Needle Award.
2001. Golden medal for his contribution to the art of Spain. The award was personally presented by the King of Spain, Juan Carlos I.
2010. The title of Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor.
Books
All books written by Paco Rabanne deal with religious and moral themes. The author encourages people to take care of their neighbors and be sincere. In his works, Paco Rabanne writes about the earth, God, love, intuition, beliefs, dreams, relatives, the apocalypse, etc.
1991. "Trajectory".
1992. "The End of Time"
1994. "Present time: the road of the initiated."
1999. "Heavenly Fire"
Francisco Rabaneda y Cuervo, or simply Paco Raban, began his journey in art with the education of an architect. He did not build buildings, but he brought constructive ideas to the fashion industry. For example:
Used new materials
To pay for his studies, the young designer worked part-time making accessories and small items of clothing for Balenciaga. However, thanks to ingenuity and unusual materials(Raban was one of the first to use rhodoin, a high-quality plastic), production had to be expanded for brands such as Givenchy, Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent.
Made clothes out of unwearable clothes
The year 1966 will be remembered for the release of the shocking collection “12 dresses made from modern materials that cannot be worn.” Raban created models from metal and plastic. Instead of the usual fabrics, models wore aluminum plates, brass wire, or even pliers. The collection caused a lot of noise and cemented the name of Paco Rabanne in fashion history, and Coco Chanel lovingly called the designer “a metallurgist, not a couturier.”
“This collection was my manifesto, my thoughts embodied in a design. Thought number one: by that time fashion was absolutely boring and frigid. Thought number two: the time of the “iron ladies” was approaching - I don’t mean Margaret Thatcher, but feminists in general. And the female desire for emancipation is the need for external “protection,” that is, the need to wear a kind of armor. Moreover, at this time, when cars and skyscrapers were made from metal, even artists created their art objects from metal and iron. So I dressed the women in metal. It was very timely,” wrote Paco Rabanne.
Discovered new faces
In addition to shocking materials, Raban brought new models to the catwalk. His fashion shows were one of the first to feature black models. So, in 1966, 12 flashy dresses presented 12 barefoot models with exotic appearance and skin color for that time.
Changed the display format
For many years, the fashion show was accompanied by reading out outfit numbers and their descriptions (as an example, the canonical episode from The Diamond Arm, where the trousers never turned into shorts). However, Raban changed this format too. His models were among the first to walk along the catwalk to musical accompaniment, rather than the monotonous voice of a presenter.
Played on contrasts
Duality was in the designer’s blood. “My basis is Spanish, and my external culture is French,” wrote Raban. Therefore, it is not surprising that the couturier knew how to combine the incongruous. Three years after the high-profile release of “unwearable dresses,” the fashion designer becomes interested in perfumery. In 1969, the feminine floral-aldehydic fragrance Calandre was born. The composition balanced on the verge of natural and synthetic scents, warming and cooling at the same time. Then the world heard the unisex bestseller XS in a bottle made of recycled metal with a lighter-type cap and the exciting Ultraviolet in a cosmic bottle. Business card fashion house today has become the daring 1 Million and its female alter ego Lady Million in a catchy gold format. And in 2017, Pure XS was added to the collection of men's fragrances with a daring mission to seduce all the girls around. Given the imminent approach New Year's holidays, it’s worth taking note of these fragrant gifts.
Eau de parfum Paco Rabanne 1 Million Privé, 50 ml (5190 RUR), and Paco Rabanne Lady Million Privé, 50 ml (6640 RUR)
Fashion designer Paco Rabanne is a famous couturier who revolutionized fashion in the 60s of the 20th century. He was often called a man with an unusual mindset and an extraordinary view of fashion. His work confirms the fact that clothing is only a material shell that can be made from anything and have a variety of shapes. Fashion designer truly famous throughout the world. His models are loved and adored by most of the fair sex.
Biography facts
Paco Rabanne was born in Spain, but immediately after his father died, the family had to move to France. Since childhood, the boy was associated with the world of fashion and experienced an irresistible craving for this art. His mother worked for a famous fashion designer. The young man quickly decided on his choice of profession and entered the art school. There was nothing to pay for his studies, so Paco had to get a job at a fashion house, where he made jewelry and various accessories. Even then, his products attracted buyers more and more each time. Gradually things got better. Raban began creating bags, belts, and subsequently began collaborating with Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent and Dior.
First collection
In the 60s, something strange was happening with fashion. It began to change dramatically, and no one could say exactly in which direction. Architects stopped being interested in stone, instead they turned to metal, and artists - to neon. In 1966, Paco presented his first collection, which included 12 dresses made of metal and plastic. A blowtorch and pliers were used in their manufacture. Models walked the runway barefoot during the collection demonstration. This show shocked the public, but brought Raban worldwide recognition and fame. After the success of the first collection fashion designer continued to work and produced outfits made of paper, feathers and leather. All of them are distinguished by their femininity and carry cosmic motifs, sometimes even echoing the office style.
Famous perfumes
Soon fashion designer decided to expand the scope of his activities and started producing perfumes. The “Calander” fragrance received public recognition and rave reviews from women. The bottle had a metal rim, which evoked associations with New York. Opening the lid you could smell the wonderful aroma of cypress.
Designer watches
As is customary everywhere, fashion designer creates only the design of watches, but is manufactured 
they are usually from a well-known watch company. Raban was no different in this regard. His model is characterized by concern for the environment, as they are made from recycled materials. Paco did not differentiate his collection into women's or men's. He just made different sizes of watches. All models are unisex and can be worn by both men and women. Original design, relief shapes and simplicity of style - these are the main components of his collection.
Cinematic images
The designer's costumes and outfits quickly penetrated the cinema. Of course, they were distinguished by their originality and unusualness and attracted increased attention. Hollywood celebrities such as Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot, Francoise Hardy and many others wore dresses made of paper, feathers and metal.
Worldwide fame
Paco Rabanne has received a huge number of awards. These include prizes for contributions to fashion and achievements in the field of perfumery. For several years, the works of this famous fashion designer have been exhibited in the best museums and taken part in festivals. He can even boast of his own book, which became a bestseller and sold a large number of copies.
Paco Rabanne is a famous Spanish couturier, notorious in the fashion world. Each of his clothing collections is revolutionary, and he himself has long been the object of increased attention. He is considered not only a couturier, but also a mystic, Dadaist, architect, astrologer and writer. Every step he took after the appearance of the first collection “Twelve Experimental Dresses...” is provocative, and the fashion world, it seems, will never get used to it. For his collections, he uses any modern materials, from metal to laser discs and optical fibers. Rabanne's contribution to the development of the fashion world is so great that he is considered the man who wrote the history of fashion of the 20th century with his own hands.
Paco Rabanne was born on February 18, 1934 near the city of San Sebastiano in northern Spain in the Basque Country. At birth, the boy was given the long name Francisco Rabaneda-Cuervo, which few people know today. In 1937, when Francisco was barely three years old, his father, a Spanish conductor - a communist, an atheist and a true republican - was captured by the authorities and executed for not supporting the Franco regime. With great difficulty, with the help of friends, the mother managed to get out of the country where terror reigned two years later with her son. Just before the war, they moved to France, where Francisco’s grandmother was from.
After the war, Rabanne began studying sculpture and architecture in Paris. In 1963, he was finally noticed and began working for several famous fashion houses at the same time, creating accessories for Dior, Nina Ricci, Balenciaga and Givenchy. Even then, Rabanne showed himself to be a creator of know-how. His collection of earrings made of rhodoid, a lightweight and relatively cheap material, which he produced in an edition of 25,000, sold out instantly.
Popular perfumes from Paco Rabanne:
Moving in fashion circles, Francisco gradually became interested in clothing design, and in 1966 he created his first collection, signed “Paco Rabanne”.
The art of the 1960s was in a state of excitement. New directions and new materials are emerging in painting, sculpture, and architecture. But even after the advent of Cursar's plastic furniture, Sotto's wire sculptures and Reisse's neon paintings, Rabanne's first collection created a real revolution. The very name “Twelve experimental dresses that can be made from modern materials” spoke of its unusualness. The collection was represented by dresses made of plastic, metal plates and paper. But it was not only dresses made from unconventional materials that aroused scandalous interest in the collection and subsequently the same scandalous fame of the designer. The designer sent his models barefoot on the catwalk - simply because there were no shoes under his name yet. And most importantly, his first top models were black girls.
The provocation was a success. The Parisian Chamber of Haute Couture reacted immediately. Irritated remarks rained down on the head of the aspiring designer, who had violated more than one rule of Haute Couture that had been created over decades. However, this did not stop Paco Rabanne. Having received what, in fact, he expected, Rabanne opened his own fashion house in Paris in 1967. Continuing to experiment, he finds new materials that, in his opinion, are suitable for creating clothes. He makes clothes from plastic and aluminum, metal chains and hard plastic, fluorescent leather and optical filaments, paper and laser discs, fiber optic wire and ostrich feathers, plastic bottles and door hinges. His collections even included dresses assembled from pieces of metal cast to the shape of the body. And although the designer sometimes uses traditional materials in his work, he deforms them beyond recognition, as can be seen in his dresses made of overlapping leather triangles or knitted from strips of mink and torn silk.
Paco Rabanne's next collection, which appeared in 1968, was represented by dresses made of aluminum threads and imitation fur coats. But the designer’s popularity grew, and in the same year he was offered to create costumes for the film “Barbarella,” in which Jane Fonda played.
The famous Spanish couturier believes that he does not fashionable dresses- he creates fashion. In his opinion, only men can create fashion for women, because only they know how a woman should be dressed. “A woman cannot create for others,” says Paco Rabanne, “she can only create her own image, dress herself. A man can create clothes for women in abstraction. In all old civilizations, tailors have always been men.”
He is an innovator in everything, and that is why he does not copy anyone and does not use forms of past centuries in his work. In the 1980s, Rabanne began using holographic fibers and organic glass in his models. In 1989, he launched a new line - a women's "ready-to-wear" line. And next year he presented the same men's one.
Popular perfume from Paco Rabanne:
Just three years after creating the first “revolutionary” clothing collection, Rabanne turned his attention to the perfume line. And no wonder. It is not enough to say that today the production of perfumes and cosmetics brings considerable profits to the House of Rabanne. This business becomes the main source of income.
The first fragrance created by Rabanne, “Calandre” (1969), immediately captivated women's hearts. Back when the lemon scent was king in the fashion world, he created something new, with a subtle hint of cypress. His next fragrance, Raso Rabanne pour homme (1973), slightly spicy, won the Oscar of the perfume industry in 1974 - the Fragnance Foundation Recognition Award for composition and packaging. Then came “Metal” (1979), “Soin pour Homme” (1984), “La Nuit” (1985), “Sport” (1986), “Tenere” (1988), “Ultraviolett” (female - 1999). However, the most popular fragrance remains “XS” (“Excess Pour Homme”), which to this day occupies one of the first places in the ranking of men’s eau de toilette. Another of his ingenious inventions is Eau de Toilette for men “Ultraviolett” (2001), the composition of which combines ambergris, vetiver and mint.
“The world of fragrances is very important to me,” says Paco Rabanne. The idea of a new scent appears “when it is in demand.” “First it is an image. Visual image modern man or women in a very specific situation. Based on it, touches of smells are added that complete the picture. You just need to know what is happening in this area, and then invent and introduce new features. Invent new bottles and new scents. This is creative work."
At the end of the 1990s, the couturier left Haute Couture, immersing himself in creating ready-to-wear collections. His assistant in this is his faithful Rosemary Rodriguez, wife and artistic director of the House of Rabanne. Despite the fact that Paco and Rosemary are completely different, they consider their relationship ideal. They understand each other perfectly. Rosemary delves into everything that Rabanne has created over the years, but creates in her own way, bringing softness and plasticity to new collections.
In 2001, Paco Rabanne decided to return to the world of Haute Couture. He presented a spring/summer 2002 clothing collection, which was shown as part of a retrospective exhibition of the fashion designer, held in the Spanish city of Burgos. This event was preceded by the awarding of Paco Rabanne the “Gold Medal for Achievement in Fine Arts”, presented to the famous couturier by the King of Spain, Juan Carlos II. Today, Rabanne is the owner of all the prestigious awards and prizes that exist in the fashion world. Among them are the Golden Needle, the highest award in the world of Haute Couture, Spain's highest order, the Order of Isabella the Catholic, and the French Legion of Honor. Dresses from Rabanne adorn the best museums in the world in New York, Tokyo and Paris. An article in the Royal Encyclopedia Britannica is dedicated to him, and almost all designers in the world use his ideas in their work.
Paco Rabanne is extremely efficient and energetic. In the early 1990s, the world learned that he was not only the greatest fashion designer, but also a writer. In 1991, his first book of reflections on philosophical and religious topics, “Trajectory,” was published with a circulation of five million, and became a bestseller. The second book, “The End of Times,” appeared in 1992, the third, “Le Temps Present: le chemin des grand inities,” in 1994. In them, the author is revealed from a different side, not very well known to the general public. A mystical and mysterious world appears before us, in which there is a place for otherworldly emotions, sensations outside the body, and communication with God. Rabanne believes that he has the gift of foresight, knows the future and remembers all his past lives for 68 thousand years. “People love me, but they think I'm crazy. Because I am a prophet,” says Rabban. After the publication of his books, one woman declared him to be the devil who bewitched her minor daughter in order to kidnap her. The accusation received wide publicity, so the fashion designer himself had to initiate a criminal case against the accuser. However, the most scandalous was Rabanne's fourth book, “Flame from Heaven” (1999). In it, the fashion designer announced the date of the end of the world - August 11, 1999. The catastrophe did not take place, which slightly shook the glory of the soothsayer. “What happened makes me the happiest person in the world, but at the same time the most humiliated and unhappy... I want to forget this madness...” recalls Rabanne.
16 February 2010, 12:46Francisco Rabanerro Querro (Francisco Rabaneda-Cuervo) was born in San S:) Stian (Spain) on February 18, 1934. However, today he is known under the name Paco Rabanne. In Spanish, “Paco” translates to “raven.” The fashion designer changed the name given by his parents and shortened his surname to make it easier to pronounce. 
As a child, when Franco came to power in Spain, Paco's family was forced to emigrate to the USSR. A few years later they moved to France, where in 1952 Paco entered the National School of Fine Arts (Paris) majoring in architecture. Already during his studies, Rabanne began creating shoes, bags and jewelry for French fashion designers. He worked for the House of Balenciaga and then for Hubert de Givenchy. However, he gained his most significant experience at the Christian Dior Fashion House. My first collection of clothes of the class “ Haute couture” the designer showed in 1966, which he called “12 experimental and unwearable models in modern materials.” The designer tried to make maximum use of plastic and metal, which were the most popular at that time. The collection was received ambiguously, but thanks to the revolutionary aesthetics of the 60s, which favored the development of everything new and unusual, it was nevertheless accepted by the fashion community as a result of new realities in fashion. Subsequently, the designer began to attract even more attention through the laces he invented made of fabric and metal, antenna hats, chain mail made of metal, paper dresses and various combinations of plastic, leather and aluminum. In 1967, Paco Rabanne founded his own fashion house in Paris. In 1968, in addition to a collection that included aluminum jerseys, the designer created costumes for the film “Barbarella.” On next year Paco presents his first fragrance “Calandre”, which was named after the car. For this perfume, Paco Rabanne was awarded the “Beauty Products Industry” prize. “Paco Rabanne Pour Home” appeared in ’73, “Metal” appeared in ’79, and “La Nuit” appeared in ’85. 
At the First International Fashion Festival in 1985, the designer was awarded the Fashion Honors award. In 1986, Paco Rabanne created his new fragrance “Sport” and only two years later - “Tenere”. 
In 1988, the designer created a collection of dresses, sewing which he used laser discs. His meetings became increasingly eccentric. Paco began to use holographic fabric and organic glass. In 1989, the fashion designer created his first women's collection of the “Prêt-a-Porter” class, and a year later the men’s collection. This year, the fashion designer was awarded Spain's highest award, the Order of Isabella the Catholic, and received the title of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor in France. In 1990, Paco Rabanne was awarded the Golden Thimble award for a collection in which he used metal threads and records, as well as vinyl. This approach to creating models is “standard” for couturiers. After all, it was he who invented the aluminum knitwear. In 1991, Paco Rabanne published his first book entitled “Trajectory”, and the next year a new creation “The End of Times” appeared. In 1993, he created his most popular perfume for men, “XS” (Excess Pour Homme). In 1994, Paco again published new book“Present time: the road of the initiated” (Le Temps Present: le chemin des grand inities). 
In 2000, the fashion designer announced his retirement from the world of High Fashion due to the fact that it was unprofitable. In 2001, a retrospective exhibition of the designer’s works was held in Burgos (Spain). In the same year, King Juan Carlos of Spain awarded the fashion designer a gold medal “For Achievements in Fine Arts.” 
In addition to fashion, Paco Rabanne is engaged in painting and graphics. In 2005, he presented an exhibition of his works at the Central House of Artists in Moscow. The following year, his graphics were seen in Tolyatti, Samara, Kazan, Sochi, Novosibirsk and St. Petersburg. 
Dress assembled
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