Do you remember your grandmother’s button jar? Well, if your grandmother had a button jar that she used to rejuvenate used, old, or discarded clothes, and you were looking for a signature representation for your collection, then you might be Patrick Kelly.
In the 1980s Patrick Kelly, a young, vibrant, fashion
designer remembered his grandmother’s button jar, and incorporated an
assortment of multicolored buttons into his creations. When one thinks of
Patrick Kelly, the images of colorful whimsical clothing inspired by the
pop-culture of the day comes to mind… And buttons… Lots of buttons!
Patrick also loved to compliment his outfits with decorative hats. He was born in Mississippi in 1954, and he went to southern churches with
his grandmother where he observed the hats worn by the fashionable women around
him; therefore, Patrick’s fashion shows were always accessorized with fancy hats in
honor of his southern black heritage.
His grandmother fueled Patrick’s interest in fashion when she brought home fashion magazines from her job as a maid in white people’s homes.
When Patrick asked his grandmother why there were no African American Women in
the magazines she told him that no-one had time to design for them… He never
forgot that statement and set about to change that fact…
He moved to Paris, and through his hard work, understanding
of marketing, and engaging personality Patrick was able to introduce his first collection
to the world in 1985… The world took him seriously, and a diverse list of celebrities
such as Grace Jones, Bette Davis, Cicely Tyson, and Princess Diana wore his
garments. High-end stores and exclusive
boutiques sold his designs while Patrick Kelly became recognizable by his own
attire – oversized blue denim overalls.
In 1988 Kelly became the first Black designer and the first
American to be admitted into the very restricted fashion group, Chambre syndicate du pret-a-poter des
couturies et des createurs de mode (French Federation of Fashion and of Ready-to-Wear Couturiers and Fashion
Designers) which is the French fashion industry organization governing clothing.
Patrick Kelly passed in 1990, at the height of his
illustrious career.
Patrick Kelly: Runway
Of Love is an exhibit of Patrick Kelly designs at the Perelman building of
the Philadelphia Museum of Art until December 2014. Seeing this exhibit it is one of those things to put on your to-do-list.
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