Ante Garmaz

Ante Garmaz (7 January 1928 – 16 July 2011), also known as Antonio Jorge Garmaz, was an Argentine actor, fashion designer, presenter and model who was active in the Argentine entertainment scene and social life from the 1950s until his death.

Career Garmaz was born in Zagreb, present-day Croatia, on 7 January 1928. His family emigrated to Argentina when he was four years old, settling in the city of Las Breñas, in the northern Chaco Province, which had a thriving Yugoslav community at the time. In Las Breñas, Garmaz's parents opened a boarding house to get by financially. Regardless of homosexuality being the subject of controversies as well as other consequences in the 1940s, Garmaz never hid the fact that he was a gay man. His flamboyance and eccentricism drew the attention of several filmmakers who called him to act in some national productions. He also acted in Men Only Think of That in 1976. In 2003, Garmaz also designed the suits of the Boca Juniors team to travel to Japan for the 2003 Intercontinental Cup match against AC Milan. He also financially helped the players of Chaco For Ever after the team was relegated in 1998. Garmaz helped pay for the trips and the accommodation of the players in Rafaela for the decisive match.

Legacy Garmaz was known for collecting ties and admiring Frank Sinatra, as well as for his socialisation with well-known figures like Alfredo Olmedo, Jorge Porcel, Antonio Gasalla, Marcelo Tinelli, Susana Giménez and Mirtha Legrand.

In the case of Giménez, she had a very close relationship with Garmaz. In September 2024, during a conversation in her show with players Leandro Paredes and Rodrigo de Paul, Giménez clarified when Paredes asked her if Garmaz had been her boyfriend, that the two had been just friends, highlighting that Garmaz was gay and that he had always been open about that.

The necktie that Garmaz designed for River's coach, Ángel Labruna, left a lasting cultural mark in the club's history, with manager Marcelo Gallardo wearing Labruna's tie in a Superclásico match against Boca and other matches. The association between the necktie's design and good results led to the tie being called the "Necktie of Glory", and it became a marketing item for the club, which sold it on online platforms to gather money for benefic activities in 2022.

Selected roles Film Year Title Role 1965 Cosquín, amor y folclore La Argentina de Tato General Kristopher Garmaz