Manish Arora to head up Paco Rabanne?

The house of Paco Rabanne, between unreasonable predictions and the eccentric creations of its founder, is not finding it easy to conjure up the aura of its youth. However, if the rumor about the arrival of Indian designer Manish Arora as its new artistic director is true, success may no longer be far behind.

Ever since Patrick Robinson left Paco Rabanne in 2006 (to become the new artistic director at Gap one year later), the Parisian house seems to have fallen into a coma. Finding the right person capable of making the brand's heritage last (without falling into caricature), while bringing it into the 21st century, has not been easy.

It should also be noted that, at a time when Paco Rabanne's image is more associated with its founder's eccentric imagination than to its little Rhodoïd dresses that revolutionized the year 1966, giving the label sufficient fashion credibility for the fashionista to find it interesting seems to have become a mission quasi impossible.

However, this challenge does not seem to daunt Vincent Thilloy, the brand's vice president, who apparently has decided to bring Paco Rabanne back into high end fashion. As of January, the Comme des Garçons boutiques will be selling three new Rei Kawakubo versions of the iconic, "1969" coat of mail handbag.

Thilloy, far from contenting himself with relaunching Paco Rabanne accessories, is also planning to bring the house's prêt-a-porter back from the ashes. According to the rumor mill, he has head-hunted the Indian designer, Manish Arora, recipient of the Indian Fashion Awards 2004 Best Women's Designer award, for the job.

Thilloy's choice makes sense given Arora's talent and ability to combine exotic influences with modernity, qualities that led Didier Grumbach to invite Arora to participate in the 2007 Parisian fashion week. Since then, this energetic designer has been tantalizing the buyers every season with his amazing shows overflowing with extravagance, as well as winning over the latest en vogue starlets who have been seen in his creations.

It remains to be seen if this designer, considered to be one of the most promising of the moment, will be able to give the brand an image that is sufficiently desirable, luxurious and contemporary to make everyone forget its numerous disappointments.