Patrick Kelly: Runway of Love

Patrick Kelly: Runway of Love celebrates the career and legacy of fashion designer Patrick Kelly (born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, 1954–1990). Based in Paris from 1979, Kelly was primarily self-taught and fearlessly drew inspiration from his experiences growing up in the American South, his Black heritage, his days in the New York and Paris club scenes, and his personal muses. His light-hearted and sophisticated designs pushed racial and cultural boundaries, asserted Black empowerment, and were rooted in expressions of love and joy. The exhibition was first presented at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 2014 and revised for presentation at the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco. The exhibition at PEM situates Kelly and his work in the broader context of art and fashion history by exploring the impulses behind his designs, his significant collection of racist memorabilia (images of which he repurposed to tell his own story), and footage from his exuberant and groundbreaking fashion shows.

First presented by the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 2014, and reconstituted by the de Young, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco in 2021, the exhibition presents more than 75 fully accessorized runway ensembles, dating from 1984 to 1989.