the designer of fashions Cuban, Raúl Castillo Jiménez, who gained notoriety for his regular appearances on different radio and television spots on the island years ago, died in the early hours of this Monday, according to sources close to the artist.
The evening broadcast of the Cuban television news confirmed his death, which had already been disclosed by family and friends on social networks, as well as by other official and unofficial media.
Castillo, who was born in 1958, suffered from severe diabetes that had led to the amputation of both legs. Recently, and also from social networks, some of the latest images of him sitting in a wheelchair had emerged, with visible signs of physical deterioration. Then an aid campaign was promoted, because according to several relatives, Castillo Jiménez was facing difficult living conditions.
For decades, the charismatic designer enjoyed great popularity thanks to his appearances on radio and television programs, in which he gave advice, exhibited his designs and promoted creativity to an audience with little ties to the world of fashion and current trends.
Popularly known as Castle in the guild of the cuban fashion and the media, began his creative work in 1981, when he joined the Empresa de Confecciones Juveniles, in the island’s capital. Two years later his career began to take off when he founded, at just 24 years of age, the Avance group, with the purpose of expressing their aesthetic concerns in the world of fashion.
His creations were mainly focused on a broad spectrum of Cuban youth. They were marked by a recognizable seal and style, and stood out for the purpose of breaking established molds, inspired by the character of the island’s inhabitants.
His wide and sonorous smile, as well as his carefree projection, were habitual in each public appearance, and a natural method to arouse the sympathy of his followers and the public in general.
At the head of the Avance group, he was the protagonist of numerous fashion shows in national and international events, and was part of many shows and cultural proposals of the most representative nightclubs and tourist centers in the country.
In addition, Castillo also ventured into the world of cinema as a costume designer in the films Lamanda’s prophecies, directed by Pastor Vega, and in portrait loveby Arturo Soto.
