On April 22nd, 1983, Paco Rabanne inaugurated Le Centre 57 at 57 Blvd de la Villette.
Originally a hot air balloon factory, this warehouse had served him as a space to rehearse his runway shows. However the 3000m² were transformed into the ‘Salle Paco Rabanne,’ with twelve work stations, two dance floors, two rehearsal rooms, a recording studio, and numerous galleries. It harbored the creativity of the up-and-coming hip hop scene, which had emerged from the predominantly African neighborhoods around La Chapelle and Stalingrad.
Artists, dancers, performers, and musicians such as JoeyStarr, Aktuel Force, MC Solaar, Kool Shen, MC Jean Gab’1, Vincent Cassel and his brother Rockin’ Squat, and the Panama City Breakers would all go daily to the Centre Paco Rabanne to rehearse and master their art. Even some American artists such as DJ Afrika Bambaataa made appearances at the venue. Rabanne himself simply acted as an observer, sometimes helping certain artists access the right connections, other times inviting them out to eat after sessions.
« Ce centre est une porte ouverte à tous ceux qui désirent exercer leur art et leur talent. Tous les artistes africains peuvent venir y répéter sans débourser un seul centime. Je leur donne le moyen de s’exprimer et ne juge pas leur talent, qu’ils soient nuls ou géniaux, je ne les juge pas ; ce centre a été créé pour permettre aux artistes de la diaspora noire dont la plupart sont à la limite de la survie, de travailler. » -Paco Rabanne
Gabin Nuissier of Aktuel Force in front of the doors of Le Centre 57
Photo by Emmanuelle Tricoire