Hector Torres (1943/44 – July 7, 1990) was a Puerto Rican

fashion design Fashion design is the art of applying design, aesthetics, clothing construction, and natural beauty to clothing and its accessories. It is influenced by diverse cultures and different trends and has varied over time and place. "A fashion design ...

er. Torres was part of the group of

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

designers in New York who rose to prominence in the 1970s. He specialized in working in leather. Torres worked with fashion designers Stephen Burrows,

Halston Roy Halston Frowick (April 23, 1932 – March 26, 1990), known mononymously as Halston, was an American fashion designer, who rose to international fame in the 1970s. Halston's minimalist, clean designs, which were often made of cashmere or ...

, and Fernando Sanchez before designing his own collection. He died from

AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

-related complications in 1990.

Life and career

Hector Torres was born in

Aibonito, Puerto Rico Aibonito () is a small mountain town and municipality in Puerto Rico located in the Sierra de Cayey mountain range, north of Salinas; south of Barranquitas and Comerío; east of Coamo; and west of Cidra, and Cayey. Aibonito is spread over ...

. He graduated from the

Fashion Institute of Technology The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) is a public college under the State University of New York, in New York City. It focuses on art, business, design, mass communication, and technology connected to the fashion industry. It was founded in ...

(FIT) in Manhattan in the 1960s. Torres worked as a fabric designer at designer Stephen Burrows' O Boutique, which opened on

Park Avenue South Park Avenue is a boulevard in New York City that carries north and southbound traffic in the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx. For most of the road's length in Manhattan, it runs parallel to Madison Avenue to the west and Lexington Avenue to ...

in 1968. Burrows and Torres along with Burrow's friend from FIT, William Hill, as the patternmaker and leatherwear designer Bobby Breslau, worked out of the basement of the boutique. In 1970, the O Boutique closed and Burrows opened an in-store boutique within the luxury department store

Henri Bendel Henri Bendel, Inc. (pronounced BEN-del), established in 1895, was a women's department store based in New York City which in its later history sold women's handbags, jewelry, luxury fashion accessories, home fragrances, chocolate and gifts. Its ...

West 57th Street 57th Street is a broad thoroughfare in the New York City borough of Manhattan, one of the major two-way, east-west streets in the borough's grid. As with Manhattan's other "crosstown" streets, it is divided into its east and west sections at ...

. Torres worked as Burrows' assistant in the early 1970s. Fashion model

Pat Cleveland Patricia Cleveland (born June 23, 1950) is an American fashion model who initially attained success in the 1960s and 1970s and was one of the first African-American models within the fashion industry to achieve prominence as a runway and print m ...

, who was a fitting model for Burrows at Bendel's studio recalled, "Hector was sort of Stephen's right hand, a homey type who took time with the older ladies who came in the studio." After working with Burrows, Torres worked with designers

and Fernando Sanchez before creating his own collection of separates. Fashion editor Patricia Peterson wrote for ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' that Torres "designs bright, sexy clothes that seem to reflect his playful personality." In August 1975, was one of the

Nuyorican Nuyorican is a portmanteau word blending "New York" (or "Nueva York" in Spanish) and "Puerto Rican," referring to Puerto Ricans located in or around New York City, their culture, or their descendants (especially those raised or currently livin ...

designers referred to as "The New Ricans" in ''

Interview An interview is a structured conversation where one participant asks questions, and the other provides answers.Merriam Webster DictionaryInterview Dictionary definition, Retrieved February 16, 2016 In common parlance, the word "interview" re ...

'' magazine. Actress

Rita Moreno Rita Moreno (born Rosa Dolores Alverío Marcano; December 11, 1931) is an American actress, dancer, and singer. With a career spanning eight decades she is known for her roles on stage and screen, and is one of the last remaining stars from t ...

wore a silk organza flounce dress designed by Torres on the cover of the issue. A tuxedo designed by Torres appeared on the cover of ''

Esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentleman ...

'' in April 1981. Torres was a friend and collaborator of pop artist

Keith Haring Keith Allen Haring (May 4, 1958 – February 16, 1990) was an American artist whose pop art emerged from the Graffiti in New York City, New York City graffiti subculture of the 1980s. His animated imagery has "become a widely recognized visual l ...

. Torres designed pink leather suits that Haring painted with

graffiti Graffiti (singular ''graffiti'', or ''graffito'' only in graffiti archeology) is writing or drawings made on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from simple written "monikers" to elabor ...

artist Angel Ortiz (LA ll) in 1983. Singer

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...

wore one of the pink leather suits for Haring's birthday party at the

Paradise Garage Paradise Garage, also known as "the Garage" or the "Gay-rage", was a New York City discotheque notable in the history of dance and pop music, as well as LGBT and nightclub cultures. The club was founded by sole proprietor Michael Brody, and ...

in 1984. In 1985, Torres made Haring a lamé gold tuxedo. He also worked for

Calvin Klein Calvin Richard Klein (born November 19, 1942) is an American fashion designer. In 1968, he launched the company that later became Calvin Klein. In addition to clothing, he has also given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and jewellery. ...

. At the time of his illness from

, he was making custom-made garments for private clients.

Death

Torres died of AIDS-related

pneumonia Pneumonia is an Inflammation, inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as Pulmonary alveolus, alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of Cough#Classification, productive or dry cough, ches ...

at the age of 46 at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center in Manhattan on July 7, 1990. He was survived by his parents, Pura and Ignacio Torres, two sisters, and two brothers.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Torres, Hector (designer) Year of birth unknown 1940s births Puerto Rican fashion designers 1990s deaths People from Aibonito, Puerto Rico 20th-century Puerto Rican people Fashion Institute of Technology alumni LGBTQ fashion designers Designers from New York City AIDS-related deaths in New York (state)