Popcorn 26 sunglasses, Patrick Kelly, 1987

We have just put these wonderful Patrick Kelly sunglasses out on display as part of the About Plastics case in the museum.

Image ref: AIBDC : 008474
Image credit: Katherine Pell

Made in France in the mid to late 1980s, the frames are made from cellulose acetate with acrylic (polymethyl methacrylate) lenses. On either side there are four buttons glued into (not onto) the temples. We have not yet been able to identify the precise material that these are made from (possibly polyester), but I love the colours because they remind me of MoDiP’s logo!

Patrick Kelly showed his first collection in Paris in 1985 and became the first US member of the Chambre Syndicale du Pret-a-Porter des Couturiers et des Createurs de Mode in 1988, France's prestigious association of fashion designers. 

Image ref: Patrick Kelly (1954 – 1990)
Image credit: https://poba.org/poba_artists/patrick-kelly/

One of his trademarks was to customise his designs with multi-coloured and mismatched buttons, a style he attributed to his grandmother's influence from childhood clothing repairs. MoDiP also has an oversized button pin badge kit in the collection, complete with its original packaging, released by Streamline Industries under licence (refer image below). 

Image ref: AIBDC : 008555
Image credit: Katherine Pell

Sadly, Kelly's career only lasted eight seasons through four years, as he tragically died of AIDS-related complications on 1st January 1990, aged 35. One day we hope to be able to acquire one of his dresses but in the meantime, both of these lovely objects can be viewed online or in person at MoDiP.

Katherine Pell
Collections Officer