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Karl Davis (born January 17, 1962 in Brooklyn, NY – May 2, 1987) was an African-American fashion designer once called one of New York's most promising young designers. Davis' had six major collections, the last shown at Manhattan restaurant Caffe Roma.

Beginnings

Karl Davis “Designer Files” archival materials at Fashion Institute of Technology’s research library reveal that during his teen years Davis was taught by a friend’s mother how to operate a sewing machine, and that when he was fifteen years old, he for the first time made classic, pleated slacks for himself. Davis graduated from high school in August 1980. At age 17, he left Brooklyn and began designing.

Davis attended New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology for only one semester - six months - and while there studied pattern making. He then worked as an assistant to Carol Fertig and, too, as a freelance design assistant to Bill Blass. It was while Davis was working as design assistant that he sold first styles to Henri Bendel.

During 1984, Davis established his own collection. Initially, he was financed by his supportive, fashionable mother - Rose.

Fashion

Though brief – from age 17 until shortly before his death at age 25 – Karl Davis experienced a career highly praised and of impressive achievement.

Fashion Shows

22 April 1984: [Davis's] Fall Collection shown during "New American Designers Show" at Club Area [157 Hudson Street] which fashion-commentator Tavy Stone reported to be "real clothes . . . good stuff" in her 29 April 1984 Detroit News "What's New" column.

Fall 1984: Designs shown during fashion presentation at Visage Discotheque [610 W. 56 Street]

14 January 1985: "Spring/Summer 1985 is Karl Davis" at Parsons School of Design [Seventh Avenue @ 40th Street]

5 August 1985: "Fall/Holiday '85 Collection" (“Karl Davis Presents Haute Couture R.T.W. ‘85”) shown at White Columns [325 Spring Street] which was video-recorded in its entirety along with a post-show interview of Davis by Cable News Network's "Style with Elsa Klensch".

6 November 1985: [Davis's] designs shown during "Fashion Aid" benefit for Ethiopian famine relief at Palladium Discotheque [126 E. 14th Street] which was video-recorded by Ohlmeyer Communications Companies and from which the New York Times cited Davis's white crepe de chine gown,

1 May 1986: “Karl Davis Fall 1986 Collection” – his sixth and last formal collection - shown at Caffe Roma, a Manhattan restaurant [3 W. 18th Street]

Personal Style

In her September 1986 [Japanese] Mr. High Fashion feature article “Karl Davis: A New, Up-and-Coming Designer Who Enjoys Dressing Up”, columnist Yoko Hamada wrote concerning Davis’s stylish way of dressing that “Although many designers dress well, it hard to find someone who loves dressing up as much as Karl. He is very fond of fashion: it’s as if he was born to enjoy wearing clothes. The clothes he wears are not shockingly avant-garde or showy. Karl is a unique dresser whose taste is classic, as well as modern, neat and refined. He creates his tasteful and sophisticated look by skillfully combining brand name clothes, antiques, and ordinary garments.”

True to his nature, Davis in1980 was voted “Best Dressed Male” of his George-Wingate-High-School [Brooklyn, NY] graduating class.

Illness and Death

On 2 May 1987, Karl Davis died of pneumonia at Brookdale Hospital Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY. Davis’s death was due to complications from HIV/AIDS. Along with fellow-designers Perry Ellis, Chester Weinberg, Willi Smith, Tracy Mills and Mark Pennywell; reporter Carol Hymowitz in her 8 December 1987 Wall Street Journal article "Designer Deaths: AIDS Is Decimating The Fashion Business . . ." cites ", , , budding talent Karl Davis, who created a line of classic women's clothing . . ." as among the enormous toll of other talents in the fashion business succumbing to an alarming surge in HIV/AIDS-related casualties.

Funeral services for Davis were held 7 May 1987 at St. Mary’s Church of Christ in Brooklyn, NY, followed by interment also in Brooklyn at Cypress Hills Cemetery.

Karl Davis was survived by his parents, Rose and Lembert Davis of Brooklyn, and three sisters, Jackie and Robin, both of Brooklyn, and Andora Boyd of Virginia.

Personal Style

In her September 1986 [Japanese] Mr. High Fashion feature article “Karl Davis: A New, Up-and-Coming Designer Who Enjoys Dressing Up”, columnist Yoko Hamada wrote concerning Davis’s stylish way of dressing that “Although many designers dress well, it hard to find someone who loves dressing up as much as Karl. He is very fond of fashion: it’s as if he was born to enjoy wearing clothes. The clothes he wears are not shockingly avant-garde or showy. Karl is a unique dresser whose taste is classic, as well as modern, neat and refined. He creates his tasteful and sophisticated look by skillfully combining brand name clothes, antiques, and ordinary garments.”

True to his nature, Davis in1980 was voted “Best Dressed Male” of his George-Wingate-High-School [Brooklyn, NY] graduating class.

Illness and Death

On 2 May 1987, Karl Davis died of pneumonia at Brookdale Hospital Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY. Davis’s death was due to complications from HIV/AIDS. Along with fellow-designers Perry Ellis, Chester Weinberg, Willi Smith, Tracy Mills and Mark Pennywell; reporter Carol Hymowitz in her 8 December 1987 Wall Street Journal article "Designer Deaths: AIDS Is Decimating The Fashion Business . . ." cites ", , , budding talent Karl Davis, who created a line of classic women's clothing . . ." as among the enormous toll of other talents in the fashion business succumbing to an alarming surge in HIV/AIDS-related casualties.

Funeral services for Davis were held 7 May 1987 at St. Mary’s Church of Christ in Brooklyn, NY, followed by interment also in Brooklyn at Cypress Hills Cemetery.

Karl Davis was survived by his parents, Rose and Lembert Davis of Brooklyn, and three sisters, Jackie and Robin, both of Brooklyn, and Andora Boyd of Virginia.