Crochet the Runway: How to Recreate Paco Rabanne's Metal Dress
Josephine
April 27, 2025
Each week, join me as I dive into the history, design, and significance of iconic fashion pieces, then reimagine them through the art of crochet. From classic couture to bold runway looks, I’ll share my take on how I’d recreate them stitch by stitch. As the series unfolds, you'll have the chance to vote (on IG) on which piece I should bring to life in crochet! Let’s crochet the runway, one iconic look at a time.
A Pioneer of Materials in Haute Couture
"I defy anyone to design a hat, coat or dress that hasn't been done before... The only new frontier left in fashion is the finding of new materials." — Paco Rabanne
Born in Spain in the 1930s, son of Balenciaga's chief seamstress, Francisco Rabaneda Cuervo — known to us as Paco Rabanne — was a creative genius who pushed the boundaries of haute couture, mainly through the use of unexpected materials like metal or plastic.
Paco Rabanne and Yves Saint Laurent were also the first to employ Black models at a time — the 1960s — when it was a strong political statement (especially for the wedding gown!).
Sewing Without Sewing: The Metallurgist of Fashion
Consider that couture in "Haute couture" means sewing in French; it is quite interesting that Rabanne sewed so little, if at all. To the point that he was called the Metallurgist of Fashion and is rumored to have carried tools around with him for his creations.
It is impossible to think about this iconic designer without immediately referencing his groundbreaking show called "Twelve Unwearable Dresses" in 1966.
THE 12 UNWEARABLE DRESSES BY PACO RABANNE. (n.d.). Rabanne.
"The 12 Unwearable Dresses" and the Spirit of the 60s
In this show, Paco Rabanne presented dresses made of metal discs or squares, attached together with metal rings — nothing was sewn, no fabric was used. This was purely fashion in its most creative sense.
What makes this particularly interesting is the context of the 60s: a decade of space exploration, industrial boom, and progressive sexual freedom. The mini skirt was created, plastic was everywhere and colorful, new synthetic fabrics made it possible to create new shapes. In this context, a chainmail-type dress makes total sense. It is industrial, modern, revealing, and to an extent futuristic.
From Chainmail to Crochet: Finding Inspiration
Thinking about these revolutionary dresses, I couldn’t help but draw a connection to a project I am working on right now.
I am lucky enough to be testing a crochet pattern for the super talented Enida, the designer behind YarnS (yarnsdesign.com). The pattern is called the Noor Dress (see below) and shares a similar construction with granny squares being connected by metal rings.
I thought it looked so cool and I am extremely excited to see my test come together. I went for beige, turmeric yellow, and rust orange — currently playing with colour placement.
The DIY Spirit of Paco Rabanne
Paco Rabanne's general design concept feels very DIY in nature already — I believe he even sold kits for women to make their own dresses at some point.
Inspired by this, if I were to make my own "metal dress" I think I would literally use YarnS's pattern to make a shorter dress, maybe with metallic thread or using the recommended yarn but holding it together with a thread like DROPS Glitter to add the shine. I would probably go gold because that's my metal of choice and make the neckline square to get closer in style to the iconic dress Françoise Hardy wore in 1968.
Unlike his other creations, this dress was not made of aluminum, steel, or Rhodoid. It was composed of 1,000 gold plaques (nearing 38 kilos!), and the collar was encrusted with 300 carats of diamonds. At the time, it was named the most expensive dress in the world!
It must have been quite literally the coolest dress ever, in more ways than one!
How You Could Make Your Own "Metal" Dress
Theoretically, you could use the same principle to attach any discs or squares made out of any solid material (plastic, metal, wood, shells, etc.) and create a shape based on a garment you already own (using it as a guide) to get something very Paco Rabanne-esque.
If I had but one takeaway, it would be this: Paco Rabanne’s legacy reminds us that innovation in fashion often comes from daring to rethink not just the design, but the very materials we use. It also made me think of another creator I admire: Paula from @paulasprojects_, who makes the most beautiful garments and accessories out of shells, trash, cords, and just about anything you can imagine. Definitely check out her work — it's incredibly inspiring!
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