Dress

Designer Patrick Kelly American

Not on view



JOY 1. A state of happiness or felicity:


Patrick Kelly said of his designs, "I want my clothes to make you smile." In energetic runway shows, he presented streamlined silhouettes that served as canvases for playful ornamentation, such as the boldly colored plastic buttons embroidered in the shape of a heart on this dress. Buttons appeared on his famed "Love List," which also included pearls, bows, and his grandmother, Ethel Rainey. Kelly often shared anecdotes about Rainey adorning his mended childhood clothing with excess buttons to camouflage that they mismatched, an improvisational approach that had an enduring influence on the designer.

Dress, Patrick Kelly (American, Vicksburg, Mississippi 1954–1990 Paris), Wool, plastic, French

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Dress, Patrick Kelly (American, Vicksburg, Mississippi 1954–1990 Paris), Wool, plastic, French
Dress, Patrick Kelly (American, Vicksburg, Mississippi 1954–1990 Paris), Wool, plastic, French
Dress, Patrick Kelly (American, Vicksburg, Mississippi 1954–1990 Paris), Wool, plastic, French
Dress, Patrick Kelly (American, Vicksburg, Mississippi 1954–1990 Paris), Wool, plastic, French
Dress, Patrick Kelly (American, Vicksburg, Mississippi 1954–1990 Paris), Wool, plastic, French
Dress, Patrick Kelly (American, Vicksburg, Mississippi 1954–1990 Paris), Wool, plastic, French
Dress, Patrick Kelly (American, Vicksburg, Mississippi 1954–1990 Paris), Wool, plastic, French
Dress, Patrick Kelly (American, Vicksburg, Mississippi 1954–1990 Paris), Wool, plastic, French

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