PACO RABANNE DIES AT 88

 Paco Rabanne, a fashion designer known for his one-of-a-kind garment creations, has died.

Puig, his parent company, confirmed the news and praised his "radical design vision" for "shaping generations." José Manuel Albesa, president of Puig's fashion division, referred to Rabanne's work as "magnetic transgression" and praised his ability to make women beg for plastic and metal outfits.

Puig CEO Marc Puig called Rabanne a "fashion icon" and applauded his "bold, revolutionary, and provocative vision."

Rabanne grew up in Paris after being born in the Basque region of Spain. Prior to launching his own fashion business, Paco Rabanne, in 1966, he worked as a jeweler for premium labels. Rabanne's first collection sparked debate, although he was well-praised for his inventive designs, which typically used unusual materials. "I view decay as the sick thrill of known things," he once said of his art, which he defined as a "time accelerator."

After negotiating a contract with the Puig family, a major fashion and fragrance industry family, Rabanne entered the perfume business in 1968.

Calandre, his first scent, is still available, as are Lady Million's eye-catching gold bottles. Rabanne was one of the first corporations to launch a fragrance online in the mid-1990s, making him an industry pioneer.

Despite his fame, he was also known for making dubious claims, such as claiming to have lived multiple lifetimes, being 78,000 years old, seeing God, and being visited by aliens.

Rabanne caused a stir in 1999 when he prophesied that the Russian space station Mir would destroy Paris. His prediction was based on the works of 16th-century astrologer Nostradamus.

Rabanne retired as a fashion industry leader in 1999 and remained mainly out of the public eye for the next 24 years. Paco Rabanne is  remembered as a "visionary" and "one of the most prominent fashion figures of the twentieth century," whose legacy will live on.