Perry Ellis
1940 — 1986
Portsmouth, Virginia
Prestigious designer of fashions for women and men.
Perry Ellis first made his name as the designer of a line of casual but stylish sportswear for women. His prestige grew rapidly, and so did his repertoire. He soon began designing men's wear as well, and eventually added collections of shoes, furs, linens, and fragrances. His successful career was cut short by his early death, the result of complications from AIDS.
Perry Edwin Ellis was the only child of Edwin Ellis, the owner of a fuel company, and Winifred Roundtree Ellis, a homemaker. He was born March 3, 1940 in Portsmouth, Virginia, and grew up in nearby Churchland, which has since become part of the larger city but was a rural area at the time.
Some of the hallmarks of Ellis's work were present from the beginning. He favored a clean-cut but casual look, made with natural fabrics. At the same time he liked a touch of whimsy. "My clothes are friendly — like people you've known for a long time but who continue to surprise you," he commented.
The surprises might include an absence of buttons or a closure that hid them, an interesting cable detail on a hand-knit sweater, or a "dimple" (a forward-oriented pleat) to soften the broad shoulder of a jacket. Because of Ellis's original touches, his clothes were often praised for being fresh, lighthearted, and gently irreverent.
Rumors that Ellis had AIDS began circulating in the fashion world. Company spokespeople denied it, and Ellis himself was evasive, commenting, "There will always be rumors. They come and go, and there is nothing you can do about it. But I know how I feel."
In 1984, Ellis joined with Levi Strauss to produce a sportswear line called Perry Ellis America and brought back the Portfolio line, this time with men's wear as well as women's, to offer fashionable classic looks at moderate prices. He was also elected president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).
Bio by GLBTQ.com: http://www.glbtq.com/