The Fashion Wonders Who Passed Away In 2023

As we get ready to enter a new year, we reflect on the year gone by, and commemorate the lives and achievements of the fashion wonders who left us in 2023.

PACO RABANNE

Rabanne was a visionary who left behind a sustainable—and shiny—legacy with his eponymous label, one for future generations of designers to admire and emulate. 

Rabanne’s early work made use of leftover materials such as plastics, which he relied heavily on for Jane Fonda’s costumes in the 1968 film, Barbarella. This solidified himself as one of the pioneers of Space Age fashion.

From there, Rabanne became synonymous with his chainmail looks, which he designed for modern women using a variety of metallic paillettes in an array of hues. He was also very involved in perfume-making and formulated the brand’s highly successful 1 Million and Lady Million fragrances that debuted in the 2000s.

MARY QUANT

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Regarded as the mother of the miniskirt, Quant fuelled the “Youthquake” movement in the 1960s with rebellious fashion that took the United Kingdom by storm. Quant was not keen on the aesthetic codes of the ‘50s—demure dresses and corsets galore—and embarked on designing clothes that reflected the pleasures of being alive and new age feminism. 

This manifested into pleated miniskirts, Peter-Pan collar tops and shift dresses with bold prints, which were often worn with a pair of coloured tights. These pieces captured the hearts of many young women in London, including celebrities such as Twiggy.

By the ‘80s, Quant had become a household name in England; even surpassing fellow designers such as Pierre Cardin and Yves Saint Laurent.

JANE BIRKIN

Jane Birkin had a prolific career in entertainment, especially in French cinema. She was also an undisputed style icon, beloved by many for her effortless elegance. She didn’t take fashion seriously as well; carrying a wicker basket as her handbag of choice. 

But Birkin is most famously known as the inspiration behind Hermès’ most coveted bag design, which was named after her. In 1984, Birkin was on a flight from Paris to London and was seated next to Jean-Louis Dumas, executive chairman of the Maison, complaining that she could’t find a bag that met her needs as a mother. 

While they were still in the air, Dumas sketched a rough design of a spacious rectangular holdall with a flap opening, which even had a dedicated slot for baby bottles. The rest, as they say, is history. And while Birkin herself may no longer be with us, the Birkin bag will live on as a symbol of luxury for fashion lovers all over the world. 

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MARC BOHAN

When the man who helmed Dior for almost 30 years—longer than Christian Dior himself—dies, attention must be paid.

Bohan stepped into the role of head couturier for the fashion house in 1960, replacing Saint Laurent who was called to the French army. His first collection, which debuted in 1961, was a smash hit with the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Marlene Dietrich ordering multiple pieces. 

During his tenure at the Maison, he introduced a new approach to women’s clothing that was beautiful, simple and comfortable; birthing silhouettes such as bias-cut skirts and drop waist dresses. He also paid close attention to the pop culture trends of the ‘60s and ‘70s, resulting in designs that were colourful, whimsical, and a commercial success in Europe and North America.

DAVID RENNE

Renne’s death sent a shockwave across the industry because he was just nine days into his new role as Moschino's creative director, taking over Jeremy Scott. Renne was already designing his debut collection for Moschino’s fall/winter 2024 runway show this coming February when a sudden illness took his life.

“Even though he was only with us for a very short time, Davide was able to immediately make himself loved and respected. Today, we are left with the responsibility of carrying on what his imagination and creativity had only envisioned. Our deepest sympathies go to his family and friends,” said Massimo Ferretti, chairman of Aeffe SpA, Moschino’s parent company.

Prior to his new role, Renne spent 20 years at Gucci, serving as Alessandro Michele’s right-hand man before Michele's sudden exit from the Italian house in November 2022.