Manuel Alves, creator of the Alves/Gonçalves duo, passed away on Tuesday, May 14, from an oncological disease. The designer, aged 72, has been working with José Manuel Gonçalves since 1984. Together, they created Alves/Gonçalves, presented several collections and, over the years, became a regular and prominent presence in the Portugal Fashion calendar.

This is an important name in Portuguese fashion and, after the news, reactions from people linked to the world of fashion began to emerge.

Portugal Fashion, in a note of regret sent to Notícias ao Minuto, mourned the designer's death and offered condolences to the family. It also explained that "the Alves/Gonçalves duo has been part of Portugal Fashion since 2000, having marked its presence in the platform's national and international calendars, with shows in New York, São Paulo and Paris".

"In Portugal, the Alves/Gonçalves shows, held in Lisbon and Porto, have always been marked by a strong artistic, scenic and irreverent sense. For the Portugal Fashion team, it was a privilege to have had all these years of collaboration with the Alves/Gonçalves brand and with Manuel in particular. A creative, perfectionist and visionary spirit, who always accepted the riskiest challenges in the production of a show."

"For all of this, the death of Manuel Alves leaves ANJE, its directors, the teams and collaborators of Portugal Fashion, and also the platform's designers deeply saddened. One of the most renowned names of the Portugal Fashion platform has passed away, and in this sad moment, it is his talent and his joy of living that we remember most."

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The Portuguese designer Miguel Vieira reacted to this news on Instagram. "Portugal has lost one of the greatest talents of Portuguese fashion... who always knew how to reinvent himself, and who many generations of students have gained and had the privilege of being trained by him. A big hug, Manuel Gonçalves".

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A post shared by Miguel Vieira (@miguelvieiraofficial)

Alexandra Moura, a Portuguese designer, also reacted to the news, describing the designer with the words "elegance, contemporaneity, rebellion, futurism, sophistication, disruption, avant-garde". She also recalls that it was a delight to skip classes and go to the store to hear him!"

© Instagram / Alexandra Moura

The designers Luís Onofre and Nuno Baltazar also reacted via Instagram. Eduarda Abbondanza, president of Associação ModaLisboa, reacted to the news on social media saying: "Portuguese fashion honors your memory".

© Instagram / Luís Onofre
  

© Instagram / Nuno Baltazar   

© Instagram / Eduarda Abbondanza

Portuguese designer Fátima Lopes recalled Manuel Alves to the Lusa agency as the "fashion designer in the truest sense of the word" and "one of the biggest name>