Haiti Mourns the Passing of Fashion Legend Murielle Leconte

PORT AU PRINCE Haiti - Haiti’s Minister for the Status of Women, Pedrica Saint Jean, says the late Murielle Leconte, who died in the United States last Sunday after battling bone cancer “will remain an inexhaustible source of inspiration for future generations”.

Murielle Leconte (File Photo)Leconte, 66, a leading pioneer of hand-painting on clothing in Haiti, transforming each piece of fabric into a living work of art, had through her brand, “Murielle Créations”, embodied Haitian elegance, celebrating the country’s cultural identity with vibrant colors and local textures.

“Through her cultural legacy and creative vision, Ms. Murielle Leconte will remain an inexhaustible source of inspiration for future generations,”  Sain Jean said, as she extended condolences to the family and friends of Leconte, affectionately known as “Minouche”.

She said that Leconte was not only a designer, but a role model of success and empowerment, who elevated Haitian fashion to the status of a major cultural expression.

She said that her talent and influence continue to inspire women artists and craftswomen in the fields of fashion design and clothing, both in Haiti and abroad and that her passing is “an immense loss for the country and, more specifically, for the women she so proudly represented”.

Born in Port-au-Prince on December 8, 1959, Leconte, was initially trained in engineering, but her passion for aesthetics quickly took over and despite being diagnosed in 2010 with multiple myeloma, she demonstrated exemplary strength by continuing to create and innovate despite her health.

The Mayor of Port-au-Prince,  Ralph Youri Chevry, in expressing his profound sadness a her death, said “Madame Leconte knew how to give us much more than clothes; she knew how to give us an identity, a history, and dreams. Port-au-Prince will not forget your work, it will not forget your dreams.

“Haiti has lost an elegant and creative artist who never accepted letting our days go by without brilliance. Her passing leaves behind an unparalleled breath of inspiration. May her soul rest in peace.”

No date has yet been announced for her funeral.