The house: from metal to fragrance
Francisco Rabaneda Cuervo was born in 1934 in Pasaia, in the Spanish Basque Country, and grew up in France, where he took the name Paco Rabanne. He studied architecture in Paris and in 1966 presented his first collection: twelve "unwearable" dresses made of materials such as metal and plastic, which became his signature. In 1968 he began working with Puig.
The Rabanne lines we carry
1 Million: the gold bar
The 1 Million line starts with 1 Million Eau de Toilette, a spicy woody scent in a gold-bar bottle, with rose, cinnamon, leather and white wood after a fresh opening. In the same line is 1 Million Black, an amber fruity eau de parfum in a metallic black bar that pairs roasted pineapple and blood orange with vanilla and ebony wood. Then there's Million Gold Elixir, a woody eau de parfum intense with mandarin, cedarwood, sandalwood and a boozy vanilla.
Invictus: the trophy
Launched in 2013, Invictus Eau de Toilette is a fresh woody scent built on grapefruit, a salty marine accord, guaiac wood and ambergris, which the house suggests for daytime, sports and the office. Invictus Elixir is different, with a salty mineral accord, aromatic cypress and vanilla caviar.
Phantom: the connected robot
Phantom came out in 2021 in a refillable robot-shaped bottle, with an NFC chip in the cap, that is, the robot's head, which opens the house's digital content when you hold your smartphone close. Phantom Eau de Toilette is an aromatic scent with creamy lavender, lemon and woody vanilla. With a citrus opening, Phantom Parfum is the one the house created for Paris nights, while Phantom Elixir combines a fresh marine accord, mineral oud and vanilla bean.
For her: Lady Million and Million Gold for Her
For women, the house created Lady Million in 2010, a floral woody eau de parfum that opens with neroli and bitter orange and moves on to flowers and patchouli. Also for women, Million Gold for Her Parfum is built on sandalwood with jasmine and ylang-ylang, and Million Red for Her Parfum is its gourmand version, with coconut, ylang-ylang and vanilla.
How to choose between the lines
Start with the scent family, then pick the concentration. If you love spicy woody scents, begin with 1 Million Eau de Toilette; if you prefer amber fruity, go for 1 Million Black. For a fresh woody scent there's Invictus Eau de Toilette, and for an aromatic one, Phantom Eau de Toilette. The highest concentrations are Million Gold Elixir (eau de parfum intense), Phantom Elixir (parfum intense) and Invictus Elixir (parfum elixir). For women there are two florals, Lady Million with neroli and bitter orange and Million Gold for Her with sandalwood and jasmine, plus a gourmand, Million Red for Her, with coconut and vanilla.
Frequently asked questions
Are Paco Rabanne and Rabanne the same brand?
Yes, Paco Rabanne and Rabanne are the same brand. In June 2023 the house dropped the founder's first name and now signs itself simply Rabanne. Fragrances such as 1 Million, Invictus, Phantom and Lady Million are unchanged; only the logo and the lettering on the newest bottles and boxes are different.
What's the difference between 1 Million and 1 Million Black?
1 Million Eau de Toilette is a spicy woody scent in the gold bar, with a fresh opening followed by rose, cinnamon, leather and white wood. 1 Million Black, on the other hand, is an amber fruity eau de parfum in the metallic black bar, pairing pineapple and blood orange with vanilla and ebony wood.
When did Paco Rabanne die?
Paco Rabanne died on February 3, 2023, at 88, at his home in Portsall, in the town of Ploudalmézeau in Brittany. He had retired from fashion in 1999. The house carried on without him, with the fragrance line continuing with Puig and the fashion side passing to the creative directors who succeeded him.
How do you connect the Phantom bottle to your phone?
The Phantom bottle connects through NFC technology. Just turn on NFC on your smartphone and hold it close to the cap, that is, the robot's head, where the chip sits. Your phone then opens the house's digital content dedicated to Phantom, such as interactive games and information about the fragrance.
What's the difference between Phantom Eau de Toilette, Parfum and Elixir?
The Eau de Toilette has notes of creamy lavender, lemon and vanilla, while the Parfum has a citrus opening and was created by the house for Paris nights. The Elixir takes a different direction, with marine notes, mineral oud and vanilla bean. All three versions come in the refillable robot-shaped bottle.
What's the difference between 1 Million and Invictus?
1 Million Eau de Toilette is spicy woody, with rose, cinnamon and leather, and the house recommends it for evenings and fall-winter. Invictus Eau de Toilette, by contrast, is a fresh woody scent with grapefruit, a marine accord and guaiac wood, which the house designed for daytime and sports.
Who created 1 Million?
1 Million was created in 2008 by perfumers Christophe Raynaud, Olivier Pescheux and Michel Girard; the gold-bar bottle is by designer Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance. It is also the last fragrance of the house whose development Paco Rabanne took part in. Christophe Raynaud later created 1 Million Black with Quentin Bisch.
What does Invictus mean?
Invictus is Latin for "invincible," and it's the theme of the men's line Rabanne launched in 2013. The bottle is shaped like a trophy, in silver for the eau de toilette. The eau de toilette is a fresh woody scent with grapefruit and a marine accord, while the Elixir has cypress, a salty mineral accord and vanilla.
