Lifestyle columnist, artist and fashion designer Gilbert Perez died on Tuesday at the Ospital ng Makati where he was confined for more than two weeks. He was 76.

A UP Fine Arts graduate, he was a professor at Feati University for 25 years.

He sketched the gown of Rita Moreno, who starred in the Broadway musical hit ?West Side Story.? In his early 20s, he designed for ?Rosevale? and became a favorite designer of Imelda Cojuangco, Imelda Marcos and fashion icon Chona Kasten. He was also favorite fashion show director of the country?s elite models.

He was the art director of the midweek magazine of the Manila Chronicle under Eggie Apostol. After martial law, his long-time friend Julie Yap Daza got him to be the art director of Time?s Journal?s People Magazine. After the EDSA Revolt in 1986, Julie and Gilbert were together again at Oh! magazine of Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua?s Brown Madonna Publishing and later segued to Philippines Graphic where he wrote a lifestyle column ?Manila At Large? for 18 years until his death.

Gilbert is survived by his two brothers Walter and Chito and his adopted son Errol who had been taking care of him until his death.

His body lies at the Loyola Memorial Chapel in Guadalupe, Makati City. Interment will be at the Manila Memorial Park, Parañaque after Mass at 9 a.m. on Sunday.