Fashion designer and activist Wendell Rodricks passed away at his Goa home on Wednesday, family sources told The Indian Express.

“He passed away peacefully. His partner Jerome (Marrel) was by his side,” the family member said.

The Creative Director for Wendell Rodricks label, Schulen Fernandes shared that the designer passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home on Wednesday around 5 pm.

According to a family friend, Rodricks’ condition had “weakened” Tuesday evening, but he had decided he didn’t want to be moved to a hospital. The family didn’t want to speak on his condition, though villagers said he had been “visibly ill” for a while.

Rodricks was known for his magic of minimalism on the runways. He was also involved in conceptualising the first Lakme India Fashion Week, held in 2000. He was honoured with Padma Shri by the government in 2014.

Apart from the Padma Shri, Rodricks was also honoured with the Knight in the Order of Arts and Letters (Chevalier de l’Ordre National des Arts et des Lettres) by the government of France, bestowed the Rainbow Warrior Award by Kashish Film Festival and feted by the All India Konkani Parishad.

Celebrities paid tribute to the designer on their social media handles.