Jose "Pitoy" Reyes Moreno Jr. (25 February 1925[1] – 15 January 2018)[2] was a Filipino fashion designer and one of the earliest advocates of the Maria Clara gown.
During his stay in the university, he joined the Upsilon Sigma Phi fraternity, where he managed to build a strong society network with Ferdinand Marcos, Ninoy Aquino, and Salvador Laurel.
He became close friends with Celia Diaz, who would later marry Doy Laurel, and the painter Araceli "Cheloy" Dans, who he gave his first hand-crafted wedding gown.
Prominent people who were adorned by Moreno's artistic beadwork, embroidery and hand-paintings include[6][7] the First Ladies of the Philippines from the 1960s to the 1980s, United States first ladies Nancy Reagan and Pat Nixon; Betty Ford, Queen Sirikit of Thailand, Tsaritsa Margarita of Bulgaria, Queen Sofia of Spain, Princess Margaret of the United Kingdom, the Marquesa de Villaverde, María del Carmen Martínez-Bordiú y Franco, Princess Suga of Japan, Cristina Ford (second wife of Henry Ford II), Margot Fonteyn, Deeda Blair (Catherine "Deeda" Gerlach, wife of William McCormick Blair, Jr.), and Filipino celebrities.
[10][11][12] Due to old age, Moreno retired from his craft and became an adviser to young fashion designers, passing on his knowledge on artistic beadwork on different Filipino fabrics.
The Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the conferment of the National Artist award to Moreno and six other recommendees.