Cinnamongirls Inspired by Patrick Kelly at the DeYoung Museum

One of our newest Cinnamongirls, ninth grader Serena Griffin,

stepped up to write about what she learned and how she felt about her day with us.

On Saturday April 16, a group of Cinnamongirls and their families took a trip to the De Young Museum in San Francisco, and spent the morning learning about the fascinating life and work of Patrick Kelly. Not only did we learn a lot, but we also had loads of fun and built connections with one another. 

Patrick Kelly was an American born fashion designer who took Paris by a storm with his colorful ideas and designs. He broke down countless barriers and challenged the many difficulties facing him as a gay, African American designer living in France in the 1980’s. His most praiseworthy claim to fame was how he remarkably became the first American to ever be admitted into the Chambre Syndicale du Prêt-à-Porter, one of the most prestigious and recognized Couture houses in the world. Kelly was, and still is, recognized for his exuberant personality, which undoubtedly seeped into his designs and fashion shows and were known for their amazingly lively energy. The particularly unique aspect of Kelly’s work was that instead of simply making clothes that served the purpose of being worn, he made designs that made a statement, and boldly portrayed important messages. 

Something that can be found in his work is the recurring usage of racist iconography. Kelly took commonly seen racist images, which were deeply embedded and depicted in American media and history, and spun them on their head. His intention was clear in calling attention to the blatant racism, which may also have been an attempt to reclaim the negative iconography and turn it into something that he controlled and held power over. The bold imagery that adorned his pieces addressed racism, an issue that is nothing short of pervasive. Having an acclaimed designer create and display art riddled with such clear symbolism forced audiences and consumers to recognize the issue at hand. 

Although Kelly unfortunately passed away from AIDS in 1990, his inspiring spirit and life story continue to live on with us. I feel that I can speak for all of my fellow Cinnamon Girls when I say that we had a wonderful time learning about Patrick Kelly, who left a mark on not only the world of fashion, but on society as a whole. We were honored to spend the day celebrating his legacy.