Fashion

FashionSpeak Fridays
Perry Ellis: An American Original      

Friday, October 21
7:00 PM

“I think fashion dies when it is taken too seriously…” - Perry Ellis
  
In the late 1970s, spirited young designer Perry Ellis introduced a fresh, witty and relaxed new sensibility to American sportswear, initially for women. The clothes were easy, oversized, slouchy, but classic at heart and they caused a sensation. Ellis, who once told the New York Times that he “always made a determined effort to do something different,” did just that, creating a series of signature looks such as his “dimple” sleeves. Nearly three decades after his untimely death, the impact of his classic and adventurous style is still very much alive.
   Join authors Jeffrey Banks and Doria de la Chapelle of Perry Ellis: An American Original for an insightful look at an exceptional talent whose unique aesthetic solidified his place as one of the key designers of American fashion.
   Jeffrey Banks is a Coty Award–winning fashion designer. Doria de la Chapelle is a freelance writer who has written on fashion, beauty, and style for Mademoiselle magazine and other publications. Banks and de la Chapelle are the co-authors of  Tartan: Romancing the Plaid,  Preppy: Cultivating Ivy Style, and Patricia Underwood: The Way You Wear Your Hat. Erica Lennard is an internationally renowned photographer whose books include Secret Gardens of Hollywood and American Writers at Home.

Perry Ellis style is highly encouraged. Books will be available for purchase.