Fashion / ShowPaco Rabanne Womenswear S/S12Manish Arora presented his femme lumiere as Paco Rabanne's new creative directorShareLink copied ✔️October 5, 2011FashionShowTextSusie LauPaco Rabanne Womenswear S/S12 It served Manish Arora to begin by exploring Paco Rabanne's most famous 1966 rhoidoid dress by creating a version made out of silver python. This was the starting point that then led Arora to articulate what his vision of Rabanne in this debut collection. Arora did a lot of meticulous research and found his own aesthetic to resonate with Rabanne's but in this collection. He saw the Paco Rabanne woman as a femme lumiere, a woman freed by her own clothing and in addition to the archives, architecture, art and the natural world were all sources of inspiration too. Whatever material created a shine - fibre optics, iridescent silks, moire, degrade mesh and other specially treated fabrics - Arora applied in a collect, which harked back to Rabanne's use of unusual materials. Where Arora does differ from the brand's namesake though is the silhouette which was altogether more structural. Curves snaked around a woman's body with the hips rounded off, the waist nipped in and shoulders emphasised. The final passage of metallic paper dresses - pleated, folded and constructed until you had discs of paper encasing each woman was again pure Rabanne reminding one of a scene in cult film Qui Etes Vous Polly Magoo? where models walked out in sheets of folded steel. Conceptual fashion in the sixties was all well and good but how does it stand up today? Arora's debut made for an eye-catching show but the true test will be in future collections when we'll find out whether there is a place in fashion for a revived and reinterpretation of Paco Rabanne. Escape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy Expand your creative community and connect with 15,000 creatives from around the world.READ MOREGianni Versace is getting a major retrospective exhibitionHat summer! Meet the young milliners taking over London fashion RIMOWAGeorge Riley unpacks her favourite travel spots for RIMOWA Kiko Mizuhara on slowing down, shutting up and touching grassWashing-up gloves have made it out the kitchen Stone Island Marina takes us straight to the source for SS26 Crying in couture: Ellie Misner’s new collection is a beautiful disaster OnMeet the creatives turning up the heat in Lagos with Burna Boy and OnThe biggest fashion collabs you missed in MarchIn pictures: Robbie McIntosh captures the next generation of Champion youthBLACKPINK style file: All of Lisa’s greatest fashion momentsCrying in couture: Ellie Misner’s new collection is a beautiful disaster Escape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy