Fashion designer, activist Wendell Rodricks passes away at Goa home
A family member confirmed to The Indian Express that Wendell Rodricks passed away at his Colvale residence.
By: Express Web Desk | Goa | Updated: February 12, 2020 8:13:23 pm
In 2014, Wendell Rodricks was awarded the Padma Shri.
Wendell Rodricks, the fashion designer and activist, passed away at his Goa home on Wednesday. A family member told The Indian Express that Rodricks passed away at his Colvale residence in the evening.
Born on May 28, 1960, Rodricks was hailed as the champion of minimalism on the fashion runway. Later, he was associated with several social causes, and was especially active on the issues of environment and gay rights. In 2014, he was awarded the Padma Shri by the government.
After news of his death broke, Goa health minister Vishwajit Rane tweeted: “Deeply saddened to hear about the sudden demise of my very good friend and designer, Wendell Rodricks. His excellency in his work & skills are irreplaceable & shall always be cherished. We will truly miss him. My heartfelt condolences to his family & dear ones.”
The Fashion Design Council of India posted on Instagram: “Disheartened with the sudden and untimely demise of one of the country’s iconic designer, Wendell Rodricks. The fashion fraternity lost a legend today. Wendell, we will miss you.”
Rodricks turned to environmental activism as he was pained by the degrading ecosystem of his state Goa. In his autobiography ‘The Green Room’, he wrote about how his love for Goa gradually made him a “reluctant activist”.
“Never in my life had I dreamt that I would stand on a truck or a public garden and deliver fiery speeches to save Goa. But by 2004,I was voicing my opinions loud and clear in ‘Goa Today’ and had made many powerful enemies. But the Goan public showered their support,” he wrote.
“I love my land so much that if someone tells me to eat the soil in Colavle I will. My love for Goa is so strong that I cannot see it destroyed before my eyes,” he further said in his book.
Wendell Rodricks at the Lakme Fashion Week in 2016. On the runway, he was known for minimalism. (Express archive)
On the fashion front too, he promoted eco-friendly wear and became the first Indian to present his collection at the world’s largest organic fair, BIOFACH, in 2012. His stores had a special collection of cotton garments, yoga mats and stoles made using 100 per cent natural dyes.
In 2018, Rodricks, openly gay himself, got the blessings of Cardinal Oswald Gracias, the Archdiocese of Bombay, for his plans to start a hotline that would provide support and guidance to queer individuals and their families to keep the faith.
(From left) Fashion designer Wendell Rodricks, Cardinal Oswald Gracias and Ruby Almeida of the Global Network of Rainbow Catholics in Mumbai. (Photo Courtesy: Wendell Rodricks)
Recently, Rodricks was on the gown Priyanka Chopra Jonas wore to the Grammys. “@priyankachopra nailed it at the Grammys 2020. Truly the bold and beautiful in this @ralphandrusso couture fringed gown where the neckline goes all the way from LA to Cuba. Love it,” he said on his Instagram page.
After getting brickbats for “body-shaming”, he clarified: “For all those that said some really nasty things about me body shaming, here is my retort. Did I say anything about her body? No. Many women did. I just said the dress was wrong for her despite it being couture. It was more dress shaming than body shaming. Stop this sermon from high and read the post before you speak.”
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