METAL MILITIA
Samantha Jones modeling a dress by Paco Rabanne • March 1, 1967 • Vogue • Richard Avedon
The first Qin Emperor of China and his Terracotta Warriors may have been outfitted in lamellar armour to conquer death, but Paco Rabanne’s models in the 1960’s were dressed in lamellae visions to conquer life! Referred to as The Mettalurgist by Coco Chanel, Rabanne’s garments were akin to sculpture…
Warrior from Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Terracotta Army • Circa 210 – 209 B.C. • Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum Site Museum, Shaanxi, China
The Terracotta Army is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. It is a form of funerary art buried with the emperor in 210–209 BCE with the purpose of protecting the emperor in his afterlife. “During the Qin dynasty C. 221 to 206 BCE, Chinese warriors wore elaborate suits of armor, each one consisting of more than 200 pieces. Much of what historians know about this armor comes from the roughly 7,000 life-sized terracotta warriors found in the mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang which appear to be modeled onto distinct, individual warriors... The Qin was known for its powerful warriors. Qin armor itself was relatively simple in design. Whether a suit covered the chest, shoulders, and arms or only the chest, it was made of small, overlapping scales. Those above the rank of common soldiers wore special armor made of thin leather or metal plates adorned with metal studs known as lamellae which were around 2 x 2 inches, or 2 x 2.5 inches.” • Courtesy of ThoughtCo
Model wearing a dress by Paco Rabanne • Circa 1967
Excavated warriors from Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Terracotta Army • Circa 210 – 209 B.C. • Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum Site Museum, Shaanxi, China
Model wearing an ensemble by Paco Rabanne • April 1967 • Image courtesy of Keystone Features Hulton Archive Getty Images
Warriors from Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Terracotta Army • Circa 210 – 209 B.C. • Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum Site Museum, Shaanxi, China
Paco Rabanne Armour Dress • 1967 • Image courtesy of Kerry Taylor Auctions
A Paco Rabanne costume being flaunted on the set of Casino Royale at Elstree Studios • 1966
Warriors from Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Terracotta Army • Circa 210 – 209 B.C. • Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum Site Museum, Shaanxi, China
Paco Rabanne fitting costumes on the set of Casino Royale at Elstree Studios • July 6, 1966 • Doreen Spooner • Image courtesy of Mirrorpix Getty Images
Close-up of a warrior’s armour from Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Terracotta Army • Circa 210 – 209 B.C. • Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum Site Museum, Shaanxi, China
Model wearing a dress by Paco Rabanne • August 14, 1967 • LIFE Magazine
Excavated warriors from Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Terracotta Army • Circa 210 – 209 B.C. • Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum Site Museum, Shaanxi, China
Model wearing a dress by Paco Rabanne • Circa 1967
Warrior from Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Terracotta Army • Circa 210 – 209 B.C. • Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum Site Museum, Shaanxi, China
Françoise Hardy modeling a dress by Paco Rabanne • May 19, 1968 • Paris • Image courtesy of Getty Images
Excavated warriors from Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Terracotta Army • Circa 210 – 209 B.C. • Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum Site Museum, Shaanxi, China
Unearthed fragments belonging to a warrior from Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Terracotta Army • Circa 210 – 209 B.C. • Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum Site Museum, Shaanxi, China
Paco Rabanne in his workshop • 1968 • Image courtesy of Keystone France via Vogue France
Excavated warriors from Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Terracotta Army • Circa 210 – 209 B.C. • Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum Site Museum, Shaanxi, China
Flanked by her own small army of officers, Françoise Hardy appears in the street wearing a signature Paco Rabanne dress • 1968 • Paris
Warrior from Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Terracotta Army • Circa 210 – 209 B.C. • Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum Site Museum, Shaanxi, China
Françoise Hardy modeling a dress by Paco Rabanne • 1968 • Paris • Jean-Marie Perrier
Unearthed fragments belonging to warriors from Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Terracotta Army • Circa 210 – 209 B.C. • Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum Site Museum, Shaanxi, China
Donyale Luna modeling a dress by Paco Rabanne • December 6, 1966 • New York • Richard Avedon • Image courtesy of The Richard Avedon Foundation via Vogue Mexico
