Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Patrick Kelly

Hello All,


There are many fashion designers in the world; some are established and some independent.  We all know of fashion designers such as Michael Kors, Donna Karan, and Zac Posen, but when someone speaks of Patrick Kelly, very few people know of him.  For tonight's Black History spotlight, I will discuss Patrick Kelly.  Kelly was one of the most influential fashion designers who changed the fashion industry, and a Mississippi native.

Patrick Kelly was born in Vicksburg, MS on September 24, 1954 in Vicksburg, MS.  He was interested in fashion by his influence of his fashionable female relatives.  He attended Jackson State University before moving to Atlanta, GA, where he worked without pay as a window dresser at the Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche Boutique.  After encouragement from one of his friends, he moved to New York City, where he attended Parsons School of Design.  Afterwards, he moved to Paris, France.

While in Paris, Kelly achieved his greatest success.  In 1988, he was the first American, and first person of color to be admitted as a member of the Chambre Syndicale du Prêt-à-Porter (the governing body of the prestigious French ready-to-wear industry).  After receiving funding from U.S. conglomerate, Warnaco,
 
Patrick Kelly Illustration

Kelly with models wearing his designs
 
Kelly’s designs were sold in upscale clothing stores as Henri Bendel, Bergdorf Goodman, and Bloomingdales, and his celebrity clients included Bette Davis, Cicely Tyson, Isabella Rossellini, and Grace Jones. 
 
http://www.splendidhabitat.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Patrick-Kelly_-Iman_-Grace-Naomi-centrictvcom.jpg
 
Kelly with Iman, Grace Jones, and Naomi Campbell
 
Bette Davis wearing a Patrick Kelly design
 
Some of Kelly's most memorable garments incorporated masses of multicolored buttons and grosgrain ribbons clustered together.  
 

http://www.splendidhabitat.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/kelly-gold-button-dress.jpg
Kelly's popular use of buttons

http://www.splendidhabitat.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/kelly-button-gloves.jpg
Kelly's famous button gloves
 
Other motifs, like the use of hats and splashy accessories, celebrated his rural southern roots.  Kelly also created works using controversial images drawn from popular culture, bringing issues of racial stereotyping to the forefront. 
 
www.artsandartists.org
 
 
http://www.splendidhabitat.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/patrick_kelly_watermelon.jpg
Kelly's iconic watermelon design
 
Although he produced beautiful garments for many prestigious clients, it all ended too soon when Kelly died in 1990 at age 35 from AIDS complications.  Although it has been 23 years since his death, his designs still live on. 
 
Patrick Kelly Retrospective Exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum in the 90s
 
For all of my Mississippi natives, and future fashion designers, I encourage you to read about Patrick Kelly, and look at some of his fashion designs.  They are truly inspirational.
 
Until Next Time!

2 comments:

  1. It is an honor to comment about the late Patrick Kelly. I met Patrick Kelly in 1974 after a friend informed me that he was looking for a seamstress. I introduced him to my Mother, the late Mrs. Geneva Locklin, who became his personal seamstress. In fact, Patrick sketched his designs on a pad and my Mother made his patterns from newspaper and sewed them. Most of the items in his early fashion shows in Atlanta were sewn by my Mother. In fact, a wedding gown he used in one of his shows was designed and sown by my mother. Patrick was like a member of our family for many years prior to moving to New York; he kept in touch with us, especially my mother, once he moved to New York. However, when he moved to Paris we no longer kept in touch on a regular basis. From time-to-time he would write my mother, but eventually they loss contact until he passed away.

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  2. I love his designs using colorful buttons!!

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