This season in the realm of artistic collaborations, a unique fusion of contemporary creativity and surreal vision has emerged. The union of Paco Rabanne’s work, now under the creative helm of Julien Dossena, and of the legendary surrealist painter Salvador Dalí’s paintings, has given birth to a simple yet interesting, detail-oriented collection that is a quintessential exemple of blurring the lines between fashion and art. This harmonious partnership between Rabanne and the Salvador Dalí Foundation celebrates the friendship and creative camaraderie between these two Spanish visionaries, in exclusivity for e-retailer MyTheresa.
In this collection, Dossena drew inspiration from two of Dalí’s masterpieces: Meditative Rose (1958) and The Shadows of the Night Descending (1931). These iconic paintings were transformed into all-over prints on long, sculptural dresses with graphic cuts and long-sleeved jersey tops cinched with metal rings. The collection showcases the quintessential elements of Paco Rabanne’s signature style, including metallic chainmail ensembles, chainmail and metal capsule bags, and lavender pieces adorned with asymmetrical pleats.
This collaboration is a tribute to the unconventional friendship shared by Paco Rabanne and Salvador Dalí. It led to their collaboration on various projects, including a surreal video created by Dalí to showcase a dress worn by the iconic Amanda Lear. To honor this extraordinary bond, Dossena joined forces with the Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation, incorporating some of Dalí’s most iconic paintings into the Fall-Winter 2023-2024 collection for Rabanne.
Paco Rabanne, known for his paradoxical designs that blend sculpture and textile-free clothing, was a pioneer of conceptual art in fashion. His friendship with Salvador Dalí is underscored by the presence of one of Rabanne’s famous “unwearable dresses” displayed in the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres, which became a museum and mausoleum after the artist’s death in 1989.
At the beginning of their careers, both Salvador Dalí and Paco Rabanne defied conventions in their respective fields. In the 1920s, Dalí rejected avant-garde movements to focus on traditional painting, while Paco Rabanne, initially named Francisco Rabaneda y Cuervo, pursued classical architecture studies at the Beaux Arts of Paris. Interestingly, Dalí said “In jewels, and in all my artistic activity, I create what I love most. In some of them one can discern an architectural meaning, as it also happens in some of my paintings. Once again, the logarithmic law is highlighted, as well as the interrelation between spirit and matter, between space and time.”
However, Rabanne’s trajectory took an unexpected turn when he won the Biennale de Paris in 1963, leading him to venture into the creation of whimsical accessories, such as brooches and buttons. In 1966, he created his iconic collection of “twelve unwearable dresses in modern materials,” known as the “Manifesto.”, which can be equated to the Breton’s Surrealist Manifesto (1924). Dalí signed the second document of this movement’s raison d’être in 1930.
These chainmail dresses, adorned with giant sequins, metal rings, and Rhodoïd plates, bear a striking resemblance to the circular gold jewelry and brooches created by Dalí. Both Dalí and Rabanne drew inspiration from the modernity of their time, infused with the spirit of youth. Today, as fashion continues to evolve, it remains crucial to stay attentive to the interests of new generations, just as Dalí and Rabanne were in their era.
Instead of adhering to a signature silhouette, Dossena focuses on the diversity of materials and surprising combinations, aligning with Paco Rabanne’s aesthetic that continuously pushed the boundaries of textile innovations, creating luminous fabrics and metallic paper garments. These references to avant-garde pieces that embody the brand’s legacy are seamlessly woven into Dalí’s surreal world, bridging the gap between reality and fiction. The Rabanne x Mytheresa collection defies the passage of time, unveiling the timeless modernity of virtuous combinations.
Successful collections often emerge from a blend of creative visions, and this collaboration is no exception. It serves as a testament to the enduring friendship between Salvador Dalí and Paco Rabanne, illustrating how their creative expressions have come together to transcend fashion and art and convey a universal message. “My art — in painting, diamonds, rubies, pearls, emeralds, gold, chrysolite — demonstrate how metamorphosis comes about; human beings create and change.” said Dalí. Jewels, and clothes are an ever-going, free and creative theatre of human transformation.
This unique collection embodies the spirit of surrealism and challenges conventional fashion aesthetics, creating a mesmerizing narrative that continues to evolve, just as Dalí and Rabanne did in their time. In a world where fashion is constantly redefined, the fusion of art and design remains as captivating as ever.
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