Paco Rabanne, who shocked the world with his futuristic vision of fashion in the 60s, has died.
Rabanne made his debut on the French fashion scene in 1966, presenting a collection titled Manifesto: 12 Unwearable Dresses in Contemporary Materials, which included pieces made from paper, metal, and plastic, among other unusual products. It was, to use an overused term, groundbreaking.
That same year, his collection was the basis for many of the clothes in William Klein’s cult-classic film Qui êtes-vous, Polly Maggoo?,a send-up of the world of fashion at the time.
Rabanne was responsible for creating the iconic costumes for Jane Fonda’s 1968 film Barbarella.
Rabanne retired in 1999 and the business was shuttered for a brief time, before being resurrected in 2011. Julien Dossena has been creative director there since 2013.
