Men behind the masks: As Daft Punk announce split, FEMAIL delves into the lives of publicity-shy duo - Daily Mail

Dance duo Daft Punk left fans devastated yesterday when they announced they've split after 28 years together.

Famously publicity shy, Guillaume Emmanuel de Homem-Christo (known as Guy-Manuel, or Guy-Man) and Thomas Bangalter have used their signature look to keep their identities largely under wraps - until now. .

Early years: Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, pictured in 1995, met while at Lycée Carnot school together in 1987.

Pictured together in Florida in 2013, where they were attending good friend Pharrell Williams' wedding to model Helen Lasichanh.

Ultra private: Little is known about Homem-Christo's partner - believed to be called Guila and the mother of his two children (pictured together in Paris in February 2014).

Men behind the masks: Daft Punk fans were devastated yesterday after the French electronic dance duo (pictured in January 2014) announced they've split after 28 years.

However the pair, who last released music in 2016, both have their own projects: Homem-Christo as a songwriter and Bangalter as a music label owner and aspiring film director. .

Film star: During an interview with Elle in 2018, Elodie (pictured right at the Saint Laurent Womenswear Spring/Summer 2020 show as part of Paris Fashion Week in 2019) praised her husband (left at Cannes in 2017) for being 'totally anchored in reality', and insisted she is the same.

Avoiding the spotlight: Thomas Bangalter, pictured out and about in Paris in February 2014, is the more talkative of the pair during interviews.

Paris-born Bangalter, 46, and Homem-Christo, from Neuilly-sur-Seine, met while both attending the Lycée Carnot state school in Paris together in 1987.

A negative review which branded their music 'daft punky trash' gave Bangalter and Homem-Christo the idea for their new project, after their interest shifted towards electronic dance music following a visit to a club in 1992

The pair are credited with bringing the French underground house scene to the charts, while Homem-Christo designed the Daft Punk logo in the liner notes of Homework. 

Chart success: Daft Punk released their last album, Random Access Memories, featuring the track Get Lucky (featuring Pharrell Williams, pictured with the duo on stage during the GRAMMY Awards in January 2014) which topped the charts worldwide, in 2013

Film career: Thomas Bangalter (left) and writer/director Quentin Dupieux attend the 'Rubber' After Party at Tropicana Bar at The Hollywood Rooselvelt Hotel in 2010 in Hollywood

Daft Punk's most recent release came in 2016 when they collaborated with The Weeknd (pictured together in February 2017) on two tracks - Starboy and I Feel It Coming