Fashion designer Paco Rabanne has died at the age of 88, it has been announced.
The Spanish designer, whose real name was Francisco Rabaneda Cuervo, founded the renowned fashion house named after him.
Alongside fellow French designers Pierre Cardin and Andre Courreges, he helped upset the status quo of Paris fashion of the time, earning him the moniker of “enfant terrible”.
A statement shared on the official Instagram account of Paco Rabanne, said: “The House of Paco Rabanne wishes to honour our visionary designer and founder who passed away today at the age of 88.
Dancing with the Stars: ‘I’ve had the best time of my life. I feel super fit,’ chef Kevin Dundon says as he is voted off show
Oscars 2025 red carpet: Ariana Grande sets the standard while Timothée Chalamet stood out in ‘Kerrygold’ yellow
Róisín Ingle puts a Thermomix to the test: ‘I am a convert but there’s one enormous catch’
Life without children: ‘I’d want the investment my mother had, but I don’t have it in me. I don’t have the grá for it’
“Among the most seminal fashion figures of the 20th century, his legacy will remain a constant source of inspiration.
“We are grateful to Monsieur Rabanne for establishing our avant-garde heritage and defining a future of limitless possibilities.”
Born in 1934 in the Basque Country, he escaped the Spanish Civil War by fleeing to France at the age of five alongside his mother, a head seamstress at Balenciaga.
For his debut couture collection in 1966, he presented “12 unwearable dresses in contemporary materials”, which included a chain mail-inspired minidress made of aluminium plates.
His fashion house also had commercial success with his range of perfumes, and his debut fragrance, Calandre, is still available today.
Lady Million, with its eye-catching gold-capped bottle, remains a best-seller and widely available. – PA
