The Diamonds of a Designer: Sir Keith Holman and the Historic Designs of the Glamorous American Decades
When a young aspiring fashion designer pursues his dream wholeheartedly, he finds himself and his work surrounded by legends Dolly Parton, Diana Ross, Whitney Houston, Mary Wilson, Lionel Richie, Juan Gabriel, Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Jackson. Born in Kansas with dreams of the Wizard of Oz, Sir Keith Holman decades later becomes a reflection of the stars which he once designed in Hollywood. Today he surpasses his own legacy, as he continues to curate and unearth the world’s most unique entertainment costume pieces.
Far from Hollywood his creative journey began in Montana, as a child and “army brat,” moving around the United States and growing up free among the forests of the Glacier National Park. Because he liked beautiful things, at the fragile age of ten, he took on the responsibility of small jobs such as shoveling snow, throwing newspapers and mowing grass. It is during that time that he discovered on television a distinct call to the entertainment industry through the music of Tom Jones, Sammy Davis Junior and The Supremes. Growing up in a household that would hold court as a form of discipline, his career perspectives after high school at first were limited to studying law, medicine and going into the military. His mother whose name he chooses to refer to as Lady Linda, was a former federal investigator for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Vice President of the Kansas Chapter of the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People and earlier in life an opera singer. She also introduced him at a young age to the Commadores and Jackson 5 while on tour through the Commodores manager Benny Ashburn. His meeting with a young Michael Jackson would come back and shape into one of his most unique design pieces, one which he holds today as part of his collection: a prototype of Michael Jackson’s glove beaded by hand.
Before any of his dreams came true, he took the plunge to study international law and business and then graduated with a business management degree from the San Jose State University. Soon after and on his own, Sir Holman charged onward to pursue his career dream of fashion design in Los Angeles. He landed a job with the famed designer-beader Stella Ruata at the Artistic Hand Beads & Studio in Hollywood who at the time was working on Michael Jackson’s Victory Tour for designer Bill Whitten. His first job was to assist in the creation of those designs and he eventually managed the shop. He then met his idol, designer Bill Whitten, and then Ret Turner and Bob Mackie. The rest is history.
Through a pair of distinct green eyes, today Sir Keith Holman is reminiscent of a royal Motown era that he one day dreamed to become part of. He remembers a self-young ambitious spirit that later took many of the leading designers he worked with by surprise. “They didn't take me seriously. I came to work early, and I stayed late. Actually, when I first started with her [Stella Ruata], I was not getting paid. I didn't, because I needed to learn,” said Sir Holman.
By ways of perseverance and passion, he learned so much that shortly after a few years, Sir Holman returned to the famous shop and launched his own Made in Los Angeles label Holman Harper Designs, a unique men’s clothing. “Back in those days, in the 80s, there weren't a lot of people who did a lot of cool men's clothes,” said Sir Holman. The style of Holman Harper Designs label was also European with a distinct influence from the glamorous Hollywood which had imprinted in his soul. “Like Yamamoto Kansai, Issey Miyake, Jean Paul Gaultier, Thierry Mugler. That kind of thing. Very high couture, cutting edge of fashion. That's the kind of work I did. With a twist of Hollywood. Nobody was doing that.”
An honorable list of original designs includes Zsa Zsa Gabor’s silk turban which Sir Holman designed and kept as a gift for her 100th birthday. She passed on before receiving the turban however it was presented to her husband Prince Fredric von Anhalt who according to Sir Holman, “he loved it. Sir Holman designed many other pieces throughout Gabor’s career as well such as two jeweled canes made for two of our generation’s greatest dames, Elizabeth Taylor and Katherine Jackson, the mother of Michael Jackson.
A set of three white bateau neck wing sleeve gowns were originally designed for The Supremes. Shortly after the group parted ways, however. He kept one of the gowns as part of his collection. It shines as a diamond and in its classic glamour resembles a tribute to the legendary music group. Made originally for Michael Jackson, Sir Holman loaned a black beaded jacket to Bobby Brown for the back single cover photo image of the Ghostbusters movie soundtrack. Unlike other designers, he had the unique habit of loaning these fascinating and heavy designs rather than parting ways with forever. “The main reason I loaned and or rented many couture pieces out when necessary is because of the budgets of the artists, record and production companies at times did not allow the purchase of my custom couture and I felt the artist still deserved to have that look and wanted to help them achieve that,” said Sir Holman.
He also opened about the struggle of being a fashion designer when it came to his own budget; to lead and keep a brand afloat, much like today. “I could not really afford to be giving out a beaded jacket that took 2 or 3 weeks and thousands of dollars to make for an artist. A one of a kind. It didn't make sense to me. When people did all the work they did on those things, one of a kind of only 2 or 3. They should pay for it. Everywhere it's a little different because you make 10, 20, 30 or a thousand other shirts. It's a different thing. Different from my kind of work. To me, I felt it was different,” says Sir Holman.
His design list continues with a Dolly Parton dress for the music video '“Just When I Need You Most” and then the Treasures album tour; a custom Smokey Robinson suit with metal studded accents and the LL Cool J black and red suede Boxing robe, shirt, and pants embellished with black and red crystal loch-rosens for his "Mama Said Knock You Out" Grammy performance during the 1992 Grammy Awards. In 1989 Ted Turner Enterprises also awarded Sir Holman the rights to reproduce the Wizard of Oz red slippers for the motion picture’s 50th anniversary celebration along with the beader of the original slippers, the legendary Aurora Duenas. Unfortunately due to Duenas’ health, that never fully came true however a sample of the slippers was made and still exists today.
His artifacts will also be featured within an Academy Museum of Motion Pictures exhibit once it opens in 2020. Some of his other endeavors also include exterior and restaurant design.
Sir Holman, who was knighted by a European royal family and earned his title of Sir, is currently working on Woven the Documentary, a production where he will reveal some of the industry’s most precious designs and memories; including his own.
His heart beats just a little faster at the thought of curating the historical design pieces and the memories of having worked with the true stars of the industry: the beaders, sewers, tailors, designers, fabrics and even the sewing machines that created the golden image of the entertainment industry. Part of that work can be found in the best seller Supreme Glamour book to which he highly contributed to piece together. “I feel that I am a curator, to honor the design, the work and the people who are the unsung heroes for a lot of this.”
Sir Holman is slowly unveiling a curtain of fashion and glamour design. Those unsung heroes today live through the stories that he tells about the many journeys which they once shared.
Fashion Designer, Curator and Royal Knighted Sir Keith Holman.
Original Sir Keith Holman designs and curated pieces: (R to L) Michael Jackson jacket, long velvet African Kaftan designed by Bill Whitten and beaded by Stella Ruata, Vermicelli style jacket in purple gabardine and Iris bugle beads (a copy of Michael Jackson’s jacket) designed for musician Juan Gabriel, The Supremes white gown and Mary Wilson’s fur wrap, Mary Wilson jacket designed by Sir Holman, black pinstripe silk velvet jacket originally designed for Johnny Gill.
The Supremes white bateau neck wing sleeve gowns designed by Sir Keith Holman with a fur wrap owned by Mary Wilson.
A prototype of the legendary Michael Jackson white glove originally designed and beaded with Swarovski crystals by designers Bill Whitten, Michael Jackson, Stella Ruata and Sir Keith Holman..
Sir Keith Holman with a mannequin figure of a Juan Gabriel jacket which was designed in the style of Michael Jackson’s jacket, in a similar design to Jackson's original 1980's prototype black beaded wool gaberdine jacket. Gabriel admired the musician’s unique designs.
The purple Iris bugle beaded jacket originally made for Juan Gabriel was also loaned to Patti LaBelle for a McDonalds commercial.
Fashion designer Sir Keith Holman. Some of his awards includes the coveted Gold Thimble Award and the humanitarian NAACP Image Award for Black Designers, RSMA Legends Award, and the 30th Anniversary Thriller Award.
A long velvet African Kaftan designed by Bill Whitten and beaded by Stella Ruata.
Sir Holman adorns The Supremes gown with a fur wrap, originally given as a gift to musician Mary Wilson by the late Luther Vandross. Designed by Tony Chase and Stella Ruata.
The Sir Keith Holman Diamonds Mirror portrait was produced at the legendary Edwards-Lowell in Beverly Hills.
Sir Keith Holman writes a dedication to Diamonds Mirror on The Supremes Glamour book. Diamonds Mirror Founder and Journalist Marisa Bojiuc receives the dedication.
Photography Credits by DIAMONDS MIRROR Photographer Stanley Tran – Produced by DIAMONDS MIRROR makeup KIMBERLY SARMIENTO produced on location at EDWARDS-LOWELL
