Patrick Kelly’s Joyful Revolution
FLEURX explores staple designs and key aesthetical elements from the pantheon of Black fashion
Within an all too short yet eventful decade, designer Patrick Kelly captivated the fashion elite with whimsical pieces that made a mark for not only Black fashion but the industry as a whole. With his game changing induction to Paris’ illustrious Chambre de Syndicale, Patrick used this platform to illuminate both the ingenuity and deep racial tensions of the American South.
Amongst the kitschy elements that decorated Patrick’s creations, he cleverly weaved in racially charged iconography that denoted the dark history of the Black community’s America. In a 1988 Vanity Fair interview Patrick broke down the significance of these polarizing symbols: “the offensive ones are to remind you that you have to fight to be free and happy...the happy ones are just to bring you joy”.He found beauty in Black memorabilia, specifically controversial artifacts such as Aunt Jemima figurines and pickaninny dolls, which he fanatically collected as an homage to his Deep Southern roots.
Drawing from these elements, wide-eyed golliwogs found their way to sensual body conscious dresses and eventually became his official logo. Watermelon slices transformed into eccentric headpieces. For his 1986 Paris runway show, the stunning Pat Cleveland gyrated down the catwalk in a banana skirt and matching top- a clear nod to Josephine Baker who’d seduce French audiences in a similar fit decades earlier. Even at his central Paris storefront, Patrick gifted visitors with hundreds of pickaninny doll brooches and shopping bags emblazoned with the jarring brand logo. These collective efforts reflected his earnest effort to recontextualize these hurtful depictions of the Black American identity as beacons of the community’s resilience and an act of revolution through celebration.
Patrick Kelly Spring/Summer 1988
Naturally, the white audience that raved over his designs were at odds with this approach. Critics skated over this imagery in their reviews, obliging to acknowledge the designs but failing to expand on their challenging connotations. His customers racked up on button studded pieces (another Patrick Kelly signature) but skirted away from the Sambo dresses. Ultimately when he signed a landmark $5 million clothing line deal with apparel manufacturer Warnaco in 1987, the conglomerate barred Patrick from continuing to stamp his shopping bags with the golliwog. The black community was equally uneasy about his practices. Some did not agree with this reminder of their oppressive history and others viewed it as exploitative. Despite the polarized nature of his work, Patrick’s legacy argued the necessity for the Black perspective in the high fashion landscape and paved the way for a dialogue on race relations in the creative sphere that has been carried on today.
