To the rest of the world, Patrick Kelly was an accomplished fashion designer. In Vicksburg, he was a friend, classmate and someone who is remembered as having a lot of flair.

Kelly, a Vicksburg native, died 20 years ago on New Year’s Day at the age of 35. A group of friends gathered in Vicksburg New Year’s night at the Jacqueline House African-American Museum, where Kelly memorabilia is on display.

“You can actually say we started in the sandbox together,” said friend Frankie Meeks, who wore to the event a Patrick Kelly turquoise sweater dotted with bows, something for which the designer was noted. “We’ve been friends since we were 4 or 5 years old.”

The pair graduated from Vicksburg High School in 1972.

“He would draw the clothes, and I would sew them,” said Meeks, who still has a silver sequined dress Kelly made her in high school. “I still have everything he ever gave me. I wanted to go with him when he left, but my grandmother wouldn’t let me.”

Where Kelly went was to Atlanta and New York, then on to Paris, where he rose to fame in the fashion world. That’s where he died, of complications from AIDS.

His legacy includes designing “witty” clothes for women, said one writer for the New York Times, and being the first American admitted to the Chambre Syndicale du Prêt-à-Porter, the French organization of designers that includes big-name houses Christian Dior and Versace.

When Kelly died, his obituary was carried in the United States and in London and Paris. Across the country, museums have presented exhibits of his collection.

Here in Vicksburg, friends have fond memories of Kelly’s start in fashion.

“I remember him buying shoes for me,” Edna Garnett said, laughing. “I loved them. To me, it’s been almost 40 years (since high school) and his ideas seem like they have revolved. It was in style back then — and the style is back in again.”

Garnett said she was unsure in high school if her friend was going to make it as far as he did, but, “I knew he was pretty aggressive about what he wanted, so he (had) to be successful in that manner.”

Another 1972 classmate with vivid memories of Kelly is state Rep. George Flaggs.

“In my office at the Capitol is a picture of (us) standing together in his signature outfit — the coverall,” said Flaggs, who shared a locker with Kelly in the 10th grade. “He would always wear the overalls with the thermal underwear top. He’d take the top and dot it. He put a lot of different colors on it. He created all kinds of stuff in high school. Patrick was the first one to take Army combat boots and make them psychedelic.”

After high school, Kelly seldom visited Vicksburg, where his mother, Letha Kelly, still lives. But, when he did, a crowd always gathered.

“Patrick would always drop in,” Flaggs said. “He would never tell anyone he was coming into town.”

Meeks recalled one visit.

“I went to the airport to pick him up, and I promised I didn’t tell anyone,” Meeks began. “As soon as he came up through the gate, cameras started going off and flashing everywhere. WLBT was there, and we were on the news that night. I had this long, white shirt and jeans on and Patrick was pinning some colored buttons on it. He said to me, ‘I told you not to tell anybody I was coming.’ I said, ‘I didn’t tell anybody. They probably saw your name on the flight schedule or something.’ And one of the WLBT announcers said, ‘Patrick, who is that with you?’ He said, ‘This is my very first Barbie doll.’ I will never forget that.”

The details of Kelly’s fashion business were unclear to his friends. He developed his own label, known simply as Patrick Kelly, and, before his death, national publications reported he was in negotiations with Warnaco Group Inc., a company that was seeking to design and market his collection.

“He was always happy and jovial,” Meeks said. “He had a God-gifted talent, and I’m glad he got to exercise that talent before he passed.”

Kelly memorabilia may be viewed at the Jacqueline House by calling 601-619-0002 for an appointment.

Contact Manivanh Chanprasith at mchan@vicksburgpost.com