Paco Rabanne became notorious in the 1960s for creating bizarre yet influential garments made of unusual, nonwoven materials such as plastic and aluminum. Perceived as futuristic at the time, his designs also harkened back to medieval armor. The silver plastic plates, for example, look like steel, while the links connecting them resemble chain mail. In recent years, Paco Rabanne’s designs have inspired avant-garde designers such as Yohji Yamamoto and Helmut Lang. The exhibition Love & War: The Weaponized Woman features both real and theatrical armor, as well as examples of fashion inspired by armor. Rabanne’s 1968 “chain mail” wedding dress is a revolutionary precursor of today’s armored styles.