Wendell Rodricks spent more than three decades at the top of fashion, but what made him a darling of the people he knew was his knack for speaking his mind, freely, and quotable lines, such as this one: Fashion is meant to excite, titillate and… seduce. Rodricks leaves behind a legacy of a master showman, who pushed the boundaries of fashion and art to create cinematic moments on the ramp. For a show in 2003, model Dipti Gujral wore an aquarium corset with a saree gown. The image went viral before viral was even a thing.

Meeting Jerome

In his autobiography, The Green Room, Rodricks repeatedly credits Jerome Marrel for inspiring him to chase his dream of becoming a designer. The two first met in the early eighties when he was working in Oman in the catering business. "Hello, you must be Wendell, I am Jerome Marrel", was the introduction that would lead to a relationship that lasted longer than many straight marriages. They formalised their relationship in 2002 by signing the pacte civil de solidarité (PACS), the French civil solidarity pact that offers legal status to same-sex couples, and lived in their Goa home for 25 years.