History of Paco Rabanne in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: March 29, 2025

Paco Rabanne, born Francisco Rabaneda Cuervo, was a Spanish-born, naturalized-French fashion designer. Known for his avant-garde metal and plastic designs, he revolutionized the fashion world in the 1960s. His innovative use of unconventional materials challenged traditional couture and cemented his place as a visionary designer. Beyond fashion, Rabanne also ventured into the perfume industry, creating successful fragrances that mirrored his bold and futuristic aesthetic. His career spanned decades, leaving a lasting impact on the fashion landscape.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

February 1934: Francisco Rabaneda Cuervo Born

In February 1934, Francisco Rabaneda Cuervo, later known as Paco Rabanne, was born in Spain.

February 1934: Paco Rabanne's Birth

On February 18, 1934, Paco Rabanne was born in Pasaia, Gipuzkoa province, in the Spanish Basque region.

1939: Escape to France

In 1939, at the age of five, Paco Rabanne and his mother fled the Spanish Civil War and moved to France, where he adopted the name Paco Rabanne.

1966: Founding of Paco Rabanne's Fashion House

In 1966, Paco Rabanne founded his own fashion house and presented "Manifesto: 12 unwearable dresses in contemporary materials" for his brand's debut, using unconventional materials like metal, paper, and plastic.

1966: Named a Fashion Revolutionary

In 1966, Paco Rabanne was named one of the "fashion revolutionaries" in New York by Women's Wear Daily.

1968: Collaboration with Puig

In 1968, Paco Rabanne began collaborating with the fragrance company Puig, leading to the marketing of his perfumes.

1968: Designing Costumes for Barbarella

In 1968, Paco Rabanne designed the costumes, including the iconic green dress, for Jane Fonda in the science-fiction film Barbarella.

1969: Release of Calandre

In 1969, Paco Rabanne's first scent, Calandre, was released. It became one of his most popular fragrances.

1976: Perfume Factory Built in Chartres

In 1976, a perfume factory was built in Chartres, France, for Paco Rabanne's fragrances.

1994: Release of XS

In 1994, Paco Rabanne released his scent called XS.

1994: Publication of "Has the Countdown Begun? Through Darkness to Enlightenment"

In 1994, Paco Rabanne wrote the book, Has the Countdown Begun? Through Darkness to Enlightenment.

Has the countdown begun?: Through darkness to enlightenment

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1996: Costume design for Mylene Farmer's Tour

In 1996, Mylène Farmer commissioned Paco Rabanne to create her live-concert stage costumes for Tour 1996 and the resulting Live à Bercy album.

May 1999: Vow to End Predictions

On May 10, 1999, Paco Rabanne publicly vowed to stop making predictions if the Mir space station did not crash into Paris on August 11, 1999.

August 1999: Prediction of Mir Space Station Crash

In August 1999, Paco Rabanne predicted that the Mir space station would crash in France during the solar eclipse of August 11, 1999, causing thousands of deaths in Paris and the Gers region.

2004: Inspiration from Beslan Attack

In 2004, the commemoration ceremony for the Beslan attack in Beslan, North Ossetia, inspired Paco Rabanne's black-and-white sketch of a child letting go of a dove and a white balloon into the sky.

2005: Exhibition of Drawings in Moscow

In 2005, at the age of 72, Paco Rabanne opened the first exhibition of his drawings in Moscow, Russia, to present his drawings before "disappearing from this planet."

2006: Visit to Kyiv

In 2006, Paco Rabanne visited Kyiv, Ukraine, and remarked on the positive changes he observed since the Orange Revolution.

2008: Release of 1 Million

In 2008, Paco Rabanne released the fragrance 1 Million, which became one of the most popular men's fragrances worldwide. This was the last scent that Paco Rabanne played a role in developing.

November 2010: Awarded the Legion of Honour

In November 2010, Paco Rabanne was awarded the Legion of Honour by France's minister of culture, Frédéric Mitterrand, who highlighted Rabanne's early work.

2011: Manish Arora Named Chief Designer of Menswear

In 2011, Manish Arora was appointed as the chief designer of Rabanne menswear.

2012: Lydia Maurer Replaces Manish Arora

In 2012, Lydia Maurer, a German fashion designer, replaced Manish Arora as chief designer of Rabanne menswear.

2013: Julien Dossena Appointed Creative Director

In mid-2013, Julien Dossena, a Belgian and former Balenciaga designer, was appointed as the creative director of womenswear at Paco Rabanne.

January 2016: New Store Opens on Rue Cambon

In January 2016, a new Paco Rabanne store opened on Paris' Rue Cambon, following the closure of the remaining Paco Rabanne boutiques more than ten years earlier.