Francisco 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 ( 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 Fashion House. Christian Dior" My first collection of clothes of the class “ Haute couture” the designer showed in 1966, which he called “12 experimental and unwearable models from 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.” The following year, Paco presented 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 fashion designer was awarded the “Honours of Fashion” prize. 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
Dress on sale)
Paco Rabanne is a famous French couturier of Basque origin, who created the fashion house of the same name, Paco Rabanne. He entered the history of fashion, first of all, thanks to his avant-garde collections of clothing made from non-traditional materials: metal, paper, plastic, rubber, and so on. Paco Rabanne's talents are diverse - he is not only a brilliant fashion designer, but also a writer, artist, and architect. Known for his charitable activities, in particular, the fight against AIDS, including in Russia.
I strove to create the image of a free, independent, independent woman who was in complete control of her life and finances.
Biography and career
...They should have died there, on the ship. All six of them - he, his mother, grandmother and three more children. But shortly before departure, little Francisco raised a cry and began to pull the adults back to shore. Two sisters and a brother joined in the heartbreaking crying. Obeying an unaccountable feeling, the mother picked up the little ones in her arms and rushed to the gangway. The rest could hardly keep up, making their way through the crowd.
The liner set sail, and immediately the sky darkened with Messerschmitts. Bombs fell, the ship caught fire and sank. Those who jumped into the water, trying to swim to the nearest shore, were finished off with machine guns. last hope hundreds and hundreds of refugees, the ship turned into their last refuge.
Fate gave them a reprieve. Not for long. Franco's dogs have already executed his father, a Republican general, and they will not spare his family either. This is, firstly. Secondly, they were subject to execution because the mother was a member of the Central Committee of the Spanish Communist Party. But even if the first and second had not existed, they would still have been destroyed. For being Basque.
Brakes squeal! “They're already in town! Hurry, jump in the back before all the roads are blocked!!” “Glory to Thee, Lord!” - Grandmother crossed herself. And the mother firmly shook hands with her party comrade. A few minutes later, the truck was briskly dusting towards the French border, carrying them away from danger. Five-year-old Francisco was destined to live a long and colorful life...
Basking between two fires
On February 18, 1934, the ancient land of the Basques gave the world an amazing child - Francisco Rabaneda y Cuervo. His grandmother was a healer and fortuneteller, known far beyond the borders of her native Pasakhes. She treated with herbs and occult methods. That, however, did not prevent her from being a believer and pious. Helping the old healer, the clever grandson adopted part of her knowledge.
“Pako (crow, Greek), the time will come, and you will learn the power of the stone and the secrets of the herbs. Signs left by those long gone will be revealed to you...” The raven, the grandmother said, is the patron saint of their family. Cuervo is Spanish and means "raven".
The gray-haired sorceress’s speeches were intoxicating, like smoke from a shaman’s fire... but the mother’s casually thrown phrase was sobering, like a bucket of cold water: “Opium for the people! What football, what religion is yours! Go get busy." She worked at Balenciaga, sewing around the clock, so the housekeeping fell on the shoulders of the children.
True, the mother had nothing against drawing - and little Francisco drew. What came out was reminiscent of the world in which the boy grew up: black and white, material and spiritual. United, indivisible and eternally contradicting each other. Later, the drawings will help him enter the National School of Arts, the Faculty of Architecture.
Hand of the Father of Nations
Moscow... Mother often talked about her. In 1950, as a comrade of Dolores Ibárruri and the widow of a Red general, she was honored with a reception by Stalin himself. She was allowed to take her son with her.
Francisco knew nothing about repressions and the Gulag. Here he is, the Father of Nations - great, wise, fair... But why are his eyes the eyes of a demon?! Why is his hand on the back of his head so heavy and cold?? The young man left the Kremlin in a semi-fainting state.
Early creativity
Students go to such lengths to try to get money for food! Francisco had an easier time - on the recommendation of his mother, he was hired to work at the Fashion House of Cristobal Balenciaga. Having taken the young talent under its wing, the company did not lose anything: the belts, bags, and other accessories he made quickly found buyers; He knew how to turn even a simple button into something eye-catching.
But the true hobby of the young Rabaneda was jewelry. Thanks to him, the fashion world heard the ringing word “rhodoid”. The plastic we were used to then, in the early 60s, was exotic. Lightweight, inexpensive designer rhodoid jewelry has become a hit among young people.
When orders began to arrive from Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent and Dior, it became clear that the name of the architect Francisco Rabaneda would never be heard. But on everyone’s lips was the name of a promising designer - Paco Rabanne.
Goodbye templates!
Unwearable. Unwearable - that’s what he called his first collection of a dozen dresses. In the annotation for the show there was a phrase that did not clarify much: “clothes made from modern materials.” But the public, knowing the author’s penchant for shocking behavior, flocked to the hall.
Music greeted the visitors. This was already unusual - hitherto fashion shows were accompanied only by comments.
Under the frantic, provocative rhythms of Pierre Boulet, they fluttered onto the podium - slender, barefoot, sparkling with dazzling smiles... Dark-skinned. Every single one. Innovation? Yes. And at the same time – a forced step. The fact is that the dresses presented were truly impossible to wear. Plates, rings and other structures made of metal and plastic lay perfectly on the figure - when this very figure was motionless. When moving, their edges dug into the body, causing pain and leaving terrible bruises. White-skinned models refused to participate in the fashion show in horror! The daughters of Africa turned out to be much more patient. And, besides, bruises are not visible on dark skin...
If the girls had read Bulgakov, they would have remembered Margarita at Woland’s ball - how she kindly smiled at the guests, exhausted in her tormenting outfit... But the cheerful mulatto girls never opened The Master and Margarita, and therefore did not compare themselves with anyone. They just kept dancing.
Shock. Storm of indignation. Journalists leaving the hall in protest. One of the ladies felt sick - she still saw scratches on the girl’s skin... “This is not a couturier, this is a metallurgist. Locksmith!!” – Madame Chanel grabbed her head.
However, after cooling down a little, the audience realized: yes, this is it! That daring beginning that was so lacking in the respectable world of fashion. Paco Rabanne became everyone's favorite - this is how a tomboy, finding himself in the company of well-bred children, becomes the ringleader.
In the same 1966, the restless fashion designer demonstrated a collection of dresses made of... paper. Something ephemeral, momentary - as a counterbalance to the “eternal” metal. Thus, with the light hand of Paco Rabanne, the concept of disposable clothing was born.
Paper dresses Flight of the Raven: Gaining Altitude
The “enfant terrible of Parisian fashion” did not remain homeless for long. In 1967, a Paco Rabanne boutique opened in the capital. Nearby, in the semi-basement floor, there was a workshop, from where the blows of a hammer and the hum of a blowtorch could be heard: a couturier-mechanic was sculpting another product.
Only brave women dared to dress by Paco Rabanne. And strong. Literally, physically - his dress could weigh 10, 15, or more kilograms. However, fashionistas not only wore these weighty outfits, but also danced dashingly in them at discos, sending bunnies flying across the walls. Speaking of bunnies: it seems that all the movie stars tried on the famous dress, consisting of hundreds and hundreds of small round mirrors.
Mirror dress Jules Verne high fashion, Raban experimented with the courage of a true engineer. Laser discs were used and door handles, disposable cups, rubber, minerals, wire and everything else that came into his field of vision. Ancient warriors and cyborg women walked along the podium. Either translucent inhabitants of the depths, or suddenly - creatures of other worlds, beautiful and inaccessible, bristling with thorns...
Playfully, the master invented something that has the right to take place in the gold fund light industry. Knitted fur, for example. Or shiny yarn, the so-called “aluminum jersey”. By the way: the couturier does not use real fur as a matter of principle. He is a convinced vegetarian.
And only the basis of fundamental fashion - fabric - remained his stepdaughter. Fabric did not play first or even second fiddle in his creations. She was allowed to serve as a link between metal and leather, glass and plastic. Or be a lining. Looking ahead: “smart” fabrics of the 21st century bring the maestro into genuine delight! No wonder he always called himself a man from the future.
From different collections Over time, clothes from Paco Rabanne became quite “wearable” and no longer injured their owners. And at the same time it acquired an even more futuristic design. The design and assembly techniques were, to put it mildly, non-trivial - lectures on architectural design and thermomech made themselves felt.
As they say, filmmakers have their eyes on his work. First there were “Two on the Road” and Les poneuttes (1967), but “Barbarella” (1968), a fantasy in the genre of, as they would now say, an erotic thriller, brought real fame. The couturier created costumes for another 35 films. Plus - dozens of theater and ballet productions.
Stills from the films “Two for the Road” and “Barbarella” In his outfits, Brigitte Bardot and Ursula Andress, Mylene Farmer, Elizabeth Taylor, Sylvie Vartan and the already mentioned above Barbarella, that is, Jane Fonda, shone (and also rustled, rang, rustled and strummed). Françoise Hardy, actress and astrologer, was his devoted fan.
Paco Rabanne created the dresses with his own hands. Some were born in a matter of hours, while others had to be worked on for months, laboring over soldering and holography. There are relatively few of them, copyright ones, a little more than three thousand. Each one is unique and worthy of becoming a museum exhibit. This is where you can see them - in museums in Paris, Tokyo, Beijing and New York.
Everything he once created continues to attract extraordinary individuals, like a magnet (by the way, the master also has magnets in his arsenal). A striking example of this is Patricia Kaas and Lady Gaga.
Language of smells
...The crown of the huge tree trembled and went down. Faster and faster, cutting the air with branches with a whistle... Impact!! Well, the job is done, you can rest. The man leaned on the ax handle, wiped away the sweat and then noticed under his feet... An orchid? The lumberjack was not good at botany. Without thinking twice, he picked a flower and took it to the hut where his young wife was busy.
This simple story was told by... perfume. Once causing a lot of buzz, Pour Homme has a little-known feature - it is able to adapt to a person's individual scent, working in tandem. It was preceded by a female Calandre transmitting the pulse big city; The word “autolady” was not known in 1969, but Calandre was just for her.
The history of Paco Rabanne fragrances is rich in hits. It so happens that they are mostly male: the passionate XS, which gives goosebumps (to the opposite sex), 1 Million for the successful, Ultraviolet for those who feel at home in virtual reality. However, the “excellent” options that appeared a little later are in no way inferior to the “strong” ones.
In his declining years, the master lost interest in haute couture, and in 1999 he completely left the House of the same name, handing over the business to young, energetic, and no less inventive successors. The latest shows are eloquent: the work of the Great Fashion Provocateur is alive and well.
Manish Arora for Paco Rabanne Not by fashion alone
"Continue!" - said Salvador Dali, seeing his drawings. And Raban continued. Secretly from everyone. The secret became clear in 2006, when an exhibition of the artist opened in Moscow. Why Russia? Apparently, what I experienced in childhood took its toll. And, besides, as the hot Spaniard admitted, he admires the beauty of Russian women. And then I noticed: beauty, both physical and mental.
The soul, its secrets, the heights and abysses through which it sometimes wanders... Paco Rabanne’s books are dedicated to this, to date there are five of them. Including such a bestseller as “Trajectory” (1991), and the no less sensational “The End of Times” (Fin des temps, 1994). “Ariadne’s Thread”, released in 2005, closes the cycle. Those who are not averse to wandering into the labyrinths of esotericism will be happy to read them all.
Awards
People love those who give strong emotions. The brilliant Basque was showered with a generous stream of awards. He received his first, Beauty Products Industry, in 1969 for Calandre. The famous Pour Homme won the Fragrance Foundation Recognition Award in 1974. Then there were the Golden Needle and the Golden Thimble, the Order of Isabella the Catholic (Spain's highest award), and the French Legion of Honor. In 2001, the maestro accepted the Gold Medal “For Achievement in Art” from the hands of Juan Carlos, King of Spain. And, as a final note, the National Fashion Design Award (2010).
People attack those who disturb them. As soon as they didn’t call him! A scandalous man, a craftsman and (see above) a provocateur. A charlatan and a would-be soothsayer (the Mir station did not collapse on Paris, what a disappointment!), and many, many more unflattering epithets. From this rich assortment, the ironic couturier chose the title of artisan. And he proudly repeats that, yes, he is a Craftsman. From God.
Personal life. His family is World
Time has bleached his blue-black hair, like a raven's wing. Soon, he says, I will be on the road again. Again - because he remembers all his past lives. Over 78 thousand years there were many, many of them...
The descendant of the Crow family never created a family. So what? Women loved him, he loved them. Is this not enough? And he also loved (and loves) Genesis itself. And he finds the strength and means to help those who feel bad. Help, not talk about help. Now, not later. He publishes art magazines at his own expense and opens cultural centers in Third World countries. A certain percentage of the sales of Paco Rabanne perfumes goes to the AIDS Foundation. And when the tragedy happened in Beslan, the artist created a painting dedicated to it. And he transfers all the money from the sale of sketches to mothers who lost their children back then.
For a person of this magnitude, our entire planet is family.
From an interview
Metal is often found in your collections; you have created many dresses made of metal. Why do you like this particular material so much?
P: I love light, reflection, glare. In addition, now we are in the era of Aquarius, the era of light, I think metal, like no other material, is relevant right now. It is also a symbol of a female warrior, both ancient and modern.
Do you have any restrictions?
P: It's very simple. My mother, who loved fashion, always told me: “You are free in everything, except for one thing: you cannot encroach on the beauty of a woman.” A woman is a miracle, a temptation, a fashion designer has no right to make fun of her. Even using metal, paper and other materials, I did everything to make the woman beautiful, like a goddess. That's my only limitation.
In which area does your creativity reveal itself more fully: in fashion or perfumery?
P: First of all, in fashion. But fragrances are a very important addition to clothing, affecting a person's sense of smell. For thirty years now I have been trying to make sure that my perfumes and my clothing collections are interconnected.
You are already many years old. What is the secret of your energy?
P: Smile and work. I never pretend, I am who I am. Death doesn't scare me. It is simply a transition from one astral state to another. Even when I turn a hundred years old, I will be young, because at heart I am still fifteen.
What are you doing now?
Finally, I had time for numerous hobbies - drawing, creating interiors, furniture, and household utensils. And of course, books. I have written eight books in total.
What do you think is the future of high fashion?
P: It seems to me that high fashion is dying, just like the noble families for whom all these magnificent outfits were created are dying out. When I entered the world of high fashion, in 1965, there were thirty couturiers, now there are only seven. But even they are not able to sell everything they create. They are being replaced by cheap uniform clothing, simple and identical, often sewn in China, in best case scenario– ready-to-wear collections.
What advice do you have for young designers?
P: A person who starts his career in the fashion business today must be prepared to face enormous competition. You need nerves of steel, because you will constantly be compared with other designers. You need to create something completely new, defend your point of view, prove that you are a real creator. Do not copy under any circumstances. It should be your own closed world. I think these tips are suitable not only for young fashion designers, but for all creative people.
The fashion designer is known all over the world. In fact, the great fashion designer's name is Francisco Rabanerro Querro.
Paco Rabanne: biography
An eccentric mystic, revolutionary and even a little futurist - Paco Rabanne stepped forward several decades and brought the future into fashion. The fashion designer has always been somewhere outside of fashion. While everyone was striving for graceful forms and playing with airy fabrics, he experimented and shocked.
Fashion connoisseurs had no idea to what extent they wanted to see out-of-the-ordinary outfits in their wardrobe until they encountered the shocking collections of Paco Rabanne.
His clothes did not have to correspond to the high taste of French fashionistas, but nevertheless they quickly spread through their wardrobes.
Paco Rabanne: career
No chiffon, silk or jersey: Paco Rabanne preferred vinyl, metal and discs. It was he who invented knitted fur and began to create fantasy outfits of the future - an unprecedented phenomenon in the global fashion industry.
It seemed that someday the fantasy should end, but it did not dry out and each time the designer produced collections that sold at incredible speed.
His generally recognized talent and imagination were awarded the Golden Thimble, Golden Needle, and Fashion Honors awards. He also received the Spanish Order of Isabella and the French Legion of Honor.
The roots of his unusual and contradictory character probably lie in his family. The fashion designer was born in Spain in 1934. My grandmother was a deeply religious person who kept occult secrets, my mother, on the contrary, was an atheist and a member of the socialist party, and my father was a real general. Francisco's mother ran her own atelier, so her love for sewing was inherited. Later the family emigrated to the USSR, and a few years later moved to France. The talented Francisco, with his subtle artistic taste, entered the School of Fine Arts in Paris without any problems. He studied to be an architect, but throughout his school years he designed and sewed bags, shoes, and created various accessories, thereby earning a living.
After graduation, he received a diploma, but did not become an architect and connected his life with fashion. Although the influence of education can be seen in the unusual constructive forms of Paco Rabanne's collections.
Unusual ideas and the student’s undoubted talent attracted the attention of great masters. After leaving school he studied with Balenciaga, Givenchy and Dior.
Having gained experience, he began independent work in the 60s. At that time, architecture was filled with a new fashion trend - the use of plastic and metal. Of course, Francisco always followed trends in the field of architecture and was inspired by these ideas.
Paco Rabanne: new ideas
Inspired by new research, Paco Rabanne released his first collection in 1966. The Parisian public was shocked. The revolutionary, if not scandalous, outfits that his models showed caused a lot of noise. Although, a little later, fashion connoisseurs realized that this was exactly what they were missing in those turbulent years.
Rough metal, combined with the finest lace, chain mail, aluminum and leather, feathers - all this began to appear on the bodies famous people, famous for their good taste.
Continuing his quest, Paco Rabanne embarked on a grand experiment and created a collection of disposable paper dresses.
Soon his fancy outfits began to appear on characters in Hollywood films.
Even the great Coco Chanel recognized his talent and called him a couturier-fitter, for his love for unusually strong materials.
Paco Rabanne himself always considered himself a fashion designer of the future. The unique style of his designs included metallic lace, chains, bright colors, ribbons, paper, gems, cut leather, fastened with metal rings and much more.
The outrageous fashion designer always wanted to shock the audience, not seduce. And he achieved it.
In the late 60s, Paco Rabanne released the “Calandre” perfume, intended for dynamic and energetic ladies. Of course, the design of the bottle was unusual: it had an automotive theme. A little later, a line of perfumes for men appeared. A bold, passionate and completely unique scent quickly found fans.
Paco Rabanne: businessman
In addition to his brilliant talent, Paco Rabanne had the skills of a businessman and advertiser. His boutiques operated all over the world and won the hearts of fashionistas from all continents.
The fashion designer opened cultural centers, wrote books and published a magazine.
Despite the enormity of his career, in 1999 he left the fashion industry and left Paris. Perhaps the reason for this was his incorrect prediction: Paco Rabanne predicted a disaster that would happen in the capital on the day of the solar eclipse in August 1999. When the prophecy did not come true, journalists attacked the fashion designer and his name often appeared on the front pages of newspapers, but this time not with admiring comments.
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 it seems that the fashion world 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 the 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 around 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 title “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 in next year 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 captured women’s hearts. Back when the lemon scent reigned in the fashion world, he created something new, with a subtle hint of cypress scent. 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 in five million copies 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.
Paco Rabanne
The most Interesting Facts from the life of a brilliant couturier.
French fashion designer of Basque origin, founder own home haute couture Paco Rabanne, a revolutionary in the fashion world of the 1960s. Wrote five books about his work; also known for his beliefs about reincarnation.
The press dubbed him “Jules Verne of haute couture,” Coco Chanel, either jokingly or seriously, said that he was not a couturier, but a mechanic, but Paco Rabanne himself modestly calls himself a craftsman and stubbornly suppresses any talk about his legendary status.
Francisco Rabaneda, the future Paco Raban, was born in the Basque Country. During the Spanish Civil War, the father of the family fought on the Republican side and died in 1939. Then the mother took the children and, in order to avoid persecution by Franco’s supporters, fled to France (they had to cross the Pyrenees on foot). His mother worked at the fashion house of Spanish fashion designer Cristobal Balenciaga. She was a convinced communist, and Paco visited Moscow with her in 1950.
In France, Paco studied architecture, but after completing his studies he did not work by profession, although he later used his architectural knowledge in clothing design. While still a student, he began making accessories and jewelry, using new materials (for example, Rhodoid - high-quality plastic based on cellulose acetate), which made it possible to bring his fantasies to life.
Paco Rabanne started out designing costume jewelry - his inexpensive but original plastic decorations sold out instantly.
In the mid-1950s. Francisco began making accessories for Givenchy, Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent.
in 1966, the designer presented his first collection, which included only 12 dresses. Outfits made of metal, plastic and wire shocked Paris. In the press, the designer was even given the epithet “fashion terrorist.” And, by the way, it was Rabanne, and not Gaultier, who was first dubbed the “enfant terrible of French fashion.” At this show, all the models were dark-skinned - unheard of even in 2014, let alone 1966!
“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 - grandmother. 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.”
Paco Rabanne
His dresses were worn by Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot and Elizabeth Taylor. “I didn’t mark the era,” Raban once said. And after for long years Still, he left the industry in search of a modern fashion formula: in 1999, the designer officially retired. Many talented designers have already taken the place of the creative director in his fashion house (including Christophe Decarnin and the “Indian John Galliano” Manish Arora).
By the 1960s Francisco Rabaneda y Cuervo decided to change his name and shortened it to Frank Rabann. The designer 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.
It was Paco Rabanne who thought of accompanying the show with music. His first show shocked Paris: models in amazing, unique dresses came out to the guests, dancing.
In 1967, Paco Rabanne founded the Paco Rabanne Fashion House in Paris. In the same year, he presented a collection of dresses made of aluminum disks connected with metal wire.
In 1969, Paco Rabanne created his first perfume, Calandre.
In addition to outfits made of metal and plastic, Raban also created models from paper and tape, and in 1968 he invented knitted fur.
The French government offered Paco Rabanne citizenship more than a dozen times. The fashion designer refused so as not to offend his parents.
Paco Rabanne fragrances successfully combine synthetic aromatic substances and natural smell human skin. This concept of perfumers makes Paco Rabanne perfumes special, amazing, and unique.
The fashion designer believed in reincarnation and claimed that in a past life he personally knew Jesus Christ, met aliens and was the favorite of Louis XV.
In 2011, Paco Rabanne designed the Royal Masterpiece chocolate box for the Russian company AVK.
Participated in an international fundraising event for the AIDS Foundation: a portion of the proceeds from each bottle of BlackXS for her perfume sold was transferred to the Sidaction Foundation, which finances programs to combat the disease. In 2007, as part of this campaign, he visited Russia.
By the creators men's perfume 1 Million are Christophe Reynaud, Olivier Pescheux, and Michel Girard. They position it as a woody, spicy scent; the fragrance was released in 2008. It is worth noting that the fragrance was produced in a limited edition.
In 1976, Paco Rabanne opened a perfume manufacturing plant in Chartres, France.
Rabanne is an excellent painter: in 2006, he first showed his paintings to the world at an exhibition in Moscow. Before this, only Salvador Dali could appreciate them: the designer showed them to the great artist back in the 1970s. Dali, by the way, advised Rabanne to continue in the same spirit.
In 1971, Paco Rabanne became a member of the Syndicate of Haute Couture.
Currently, the Paco Rabanne brand belongs to the Spanish fashion concern Puig, where the designer works in collaboration with Rosemary Rodriguez, who creates clothing collections for this brand.
The Paco Rabanne 1 Million perfume composition is chosen by those who are bold, daring, with an extraordinary taste and personal style. The aroma is declared as daytime and evening, and will be appropriate in cold and warm seasons, although fans are inclined to believe that the perfume is more suitable for the evening.
Source – Wikipedia, woman.ru, wiki.wildberries.ru, butik-parfum.ru.
Paco Rabanne - life, work, facts - revolutionary in the fashion world of the 1960s updated: February 15, 2019 by: website
