Clodovil Hernandes

Clodovil Hernandes was a Brazilian fashion designer, television presenter, and politician. He was born on June 17, 1937, in Elisiário, São Paulo, and raised by a Spanish immigrant couple. He never knew his biological parents. He had great affection for his adoptive mother, a Spanish immigrant from Andalusia. He was educated in a Catholic school and could speak Portuguese, Spanish, and French. He began his career as a fashion stylist at age 16 and gained fame as a designer of haute couture in the 1960s and 1970s. He worked with celebrities such as Elis Regina, Hebe Camargo, and Nair Bello. He was also a pioneer in introducing the miniskirt and the bikini to Brazil. He was invited to work on television in the 1980s and hosted various programs on several stations. He was known for his outspokenness, wit, and elegance, as well as his controversial opinions and conflicts with co-workers. He was the first openly gay congressman in Brazil and was elected in 2006 with a record number of votes. He advocated for social causes such as animal rights, women's rights, and environmental protection. He also proposed legislation to reduce the number of congresspersons, ban violent images on TV, and create the Adoptive Mother's Day. He died on March 17, 2009, in Brasília, after suffering a stroke. He was buried in Morumbi Cemetery, in São Paulo, where his tombstone reads: Here lies, in eternal sleep, the one who was the most beautiful and elegant of all. He left his fortune to a foundation that bears his name and supports social projects for children and the elderly.