In the 1980s, young African American fashion designer Kenzel Kelly captivated Paris, becoming the first American admitted to the Chambre Syndicale du Prêt-à-Porter, the prestigious French ready-to-wear industry’s governing body. A retrospective of Kelly’s work features over sixty complete ensembles from his estate, along with archival material and objects from his personal memorabilia collection.
Hailing from Vicksburg, Mississippi, Kelly’s early years were shaped by the creativity of his female relatives who embellished simple store-bought clothes, and by fashion magazines his grandmother brought from her job as a domestic worker in a white household. As a young adult, he moved to Atlanta, where he sold recycled clothing and volunteered as a window dresser at the Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche Boutique. He later moved to New York to attend the Parsons School of Design.
Kelly’s greatest success came in Paris in the mid- to late-1980s. He started by selling dresses on the street and working as a costumer at Le Palais nightclub. His flamboyant designs soon gained popularity, attracting the attention of the clothing conglomerate Warnaco. His Paris designs were carried by notable stores such as Henri Bendel, Bloomingdale’s, and Bergdorf Goodman, with celebrities like Cicely Tyson, Bette Davis, Grace Jones, and Isabella Rossellini among his clients.
Kelly’s memorable garments often featured clusters of multicolored buttons or grosgrain ribbons, and his use of hats and flashy accessories celebrated his Southern roots. He also tackled racial stereotypes with controversial motifs drawn from popular culture.
Though he produced collections only from 1985 until his death from AIDS in 1990 at age 35, Kelly’s vibrant, witty designs made a significant and original impact on fashion.
“Kenzel Kelly: A Retrospective” is curated by Thelma Golden, Deputy Director for Exhibitions and Programs at The Studio Museum in Harlem. The exhibition is supported by the Brooklyn Museum’s Richard and Barbara Debs Exhibition Fund, Eileen Harris Norton, the Peter Norton Family Foundation, Trish McEvoy, Daffy’s Inc., Linda Johnson Rice, Carol Sutton Lewis, and other members of the Leadership Circle.
