Spanish-born perfume and fashion designer Paco Rabanne died at his home in France. He was 88. The cause of his death has not been disclosed. Rabanne made his name being a provocative designer. He was famous for the use of plastic and metal in his dresses.

Who was Paco Rabanne?

Rabanne was a celebrated perfume and fashion designer based out of Spain. He comes from a military family of Spain’s Basque region, near San Sebastián.

Also Read: Who was Paul Lindner?

Early life, family, and career

Rabanne’s father was a colonel in the Republican military. Afterwards, he was executed by General Francisco Franco’s nationalist forces. On the other hand, his mother had a background in designing. She worked as a seamstress for designer Cristobal Balenciaga.

As a result, the family moved to Paris in 1939. Afterwards, Rabanee  spent most of his childhood in Paris, the fashion capital. Initially, he studied architecture at l’École Nationale des Beaux-Arts. His first job was to draw sketches during his college days.

Later, he quit his job in the construction industry and chose fashion as his career. He started with designing jewellery for Givenchy, Dior, and Balenciaga. In 1966, he established his own company, Paco Rabanne. Subsequently, Rabanne’s luxury brand gained international fame and he became a known name in the fashion industry.

Also Read: Who are the Gang of Eight?

Interestingly, his designs attracted as much controversy as praise. He debuted with ’12 Unwearable dresses in Contemporary Materials’ that gained him sharp criticism for making the models wear sharp metals and other materials.

Net worth – 

He has an estimated net worth of around $28 million.

Perfumes and colognes – 

Paco Rabanne 1 Million

Paco Rabanne Invictus

Paco Rabanne Paco Unisex

Paco Rabanne Black Xs

Paco Rabanne Ultraviolet

Paco Rabanne Invictus

Paco Rabanne Ultrared

Pair Paco Rabanne 1 Million Lucky

Paco Rabanne 1 Million Parfum

Paco Rabanne Pure Xs Night

Paco Rabanne and Marc Puig

Rabanne signed a deal with the Catalonia-based Puig family who were already an established name in the fashion and fragrance industry. This led to his entrance to the fragrance world. Consequently, Puig remained the parent company to his brand. Additionally, Rabanne became one of the first few designers to have launched his products online.

Marc Puig, the chairman of the Puig empire, has called Rabanne a “major personality in fashion”. Puig took it to his social media handle to pay tribute to Rabanne’s  “daring and revolutionary vision and unique aesthetic”.