By Claude Montana. Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images
Famed French fashion designer Claude Montana has died. He was 76.
His death was confirmed by French news agency AFP on Friday, February 23. He passed in his native Paris, per Women’s Wear Daily.
While Montana had lived under the radar in recent years, his impact on the fashion industry is undeniable. He was revered throughout the late 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s for being a pioneer in avant-garde design and was peers with Thierry Mugler and Jean Paul Gaultier.
He became a leading force in leather following his first fashion show in 1976 and founded his own namesake fashion house, The House of Montana, in 1979. He went on to design Lanvin couture from 1990 and 1992. His label is currently owned by businessman Jean-Jacques Layani.
Montana was known for his “power-woman” style, which included bold colors (namely bright green), sharp tailoring as well as overstated and inflated silhouettes — in the form of padded shoulders and flared pants.
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His muses included Helena Christensen, Tyra Banks, Christy Turlington and Linda Evangelista. He was married to supermodel Wallis Franken from 1993 until her death in 1996. (She fell from a window and the incident was ruled a suicide.)
Of his impact, Bruno Pavlovsky, president of the French fashion federation, gushed to WWD, “The work of Claude Montana embodied exceptional craftsmanship. His daring creations influenced a whole generation of designers.”
He added, “His distinctive style, blending sophistication and modernity, remains firmly rooted in the imagination of contemporary fashion, testifying to his indelible impact on the industry and on generations to come.”
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The organization’s executive president, Pascal Morand, echoed similar sentiments. “A visionary, Claude Montana constantly pushed the boundaries of fashion, reaching beyond his time to redefine standards of style and design. He challenged expectations and opened up new paths for creative expression,” he said, per WWD.
