Black Design Collective honors Patrick Kelly at L.A. premiere with Tina Knowles and Law Roach

Black Design Collective brought Love, Patrick: Nothing Is Impossible to West Hollywood during L.A. Fashion Week, pairing the documentary premiere with a city proclamation honoring designer Patrick Kelly. Tina Knowles, Law Roach and other guests helped spotlight Kelly’s legacy and the nonprofit’s pipeline for emerging Black designers.

Why it matters: - The premiere placed Patrick Kelly’s legacy at the center of L.A. Fashion Week, linking fashion history with today’s Black design pipeline. - West Hollywood used the event to formally recognize Kelly, whose rise from Mississippi to Paris remains a milestone for Black designers. - Black Design Collective used the night to connect its sustainability and mentorship work to a broader cultural story.

What happened: - Black Design Collective hosted the Los Angeles premiere of Love, Patrick: Nothing Is Impossible on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the SilverScreen Theater at the Pacific Design Center. - The event was co-sponsored by the City of West Hollywood and drew a full house during L.A. Fashion Week. - The documentary focuses on Patrick Kelly, the Mississippi-born designer who in 1988 became the first American admitted to France’s Chambre Syndicale du Prêt-à-Porter. - The Horne Brothers directed the film, which arrived in Los Angeles with five festival honors, including Best Documentary at BronzeLens and the Out On Film Audience Award.

The details: - West Hollywood Mayor John Heilman presented a proclamation from the City Council honoring Kelly’s life and legacy to Black Design Collective. - Kevan Hall, president and co-founder of Black Design Collective, accepted the proclamation with co-founder Angela Dean. - The proclamation credits Kelly’s signature buttons, bows and hearts with bringing joy, vivid color and “radical hospitality” to the runway. - Vice Mayor Danny Hang said West Hollywood was proud to co-sponsor the premiere and celebrate Kelly’s legacy at the Pacific Design Center. - Tina Knowles and celebrity stylist and image architect Law Roach headlined the red carpet. - Other attendees included Yolanda Adams, Vanessa Estelle Williams, Roshumba Williams and Marcellas Reynolds. - Law Roach said Kelly had to be fearless to leave Mississippi, land in Paris and become as successful as he did. - Tina Knowles urged her Instagram followers to watch Love Patrick, a Patrick Kelly documentary. - Kevan Hall moderated a talkback and audience Q&A with the filmmakers after the screening. - Sergio Hudson, a fashion designer and executive producer, said that without Patrick Kelly, there is no Sergio Hudson.

Between the lines: - The event doubled as both a film premiere and a public tribute, giving Black Design Collective a high-visibility platform inside fashion’s most public-facing week. - The city proclamation and the red-carpet turnout show how Kelly’s influence now reaches beyond fashion circles into civic recognition and cultural memory. - Black Design Collective framed Kelly’s story as a bridge between legacy and access for younger designers. - The nonprofit’s programming tied the tribute to practical training, not just celebration.

What’s next: - Black Design Collective’s UPCYCLE sustainability program will continue pairing donated and recycled materials with hands-on workshops and runway preparation. - This year’s cohort studied Patrick Kelly, learned hand sewing and made button hearts in his honor before attending the premiere. - The Collective’s Threads of Joy runway showcase on Oct. 9, 2026, featured new work inspired by Kelly’s legacy and was powered by Art Hearts Fashion. - The organization said the premiere and runway programming are part of its broader effort to support emerging designers and creative professionals through education, mentorship and industry access.

The bottom line: - Love, Patrick: Nothing Is Impossible became more than a screening in West Hollywood. It served as a public handoff of Patrick Kelly’s legacy to a new generation of designers and fans.