Fashion Trivia: The First American Member of France's Chambre Syndicale
Do you know this charismatic fashion star?
Photos: Getty Images, Pixabay; Artwork: Brooke Frischer/Fashionista
Test your fashion-industry knowledge with our new-old weekly series, Fashion Trivia! There’s no prize (yet) for having the right answer, but you get theoretical bonus points for not using Google.
Q: Which famous womenswear designer — remembered for their larger-than-life designs that playfully referenced pop culture and Black folklore — was the first American to be inducted into the Chambre Syndicale du Prêt-à-Porter, the prestigious governing body of the French ready-to-wear industry? Hint: Some of the icons they dressed include Princess Diana and Grace Jones.
Scroll down for the answer...
A: Patrick Kelly. The Mississippi-born designer lived in Atlanta and New York before jetting to Paris in the '80s. He became the first American to be voted into the Chambre Syndicale in 1988. Kelly was known for his bright, colorful designs, which famously included plenty of tube dresses adorned with various bows and buttons — elements inspired by how the women who raised him would customize their store-bought clothes. {Brooklyn Museum}
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