Holly Harp

Helen Roberta Speller (also known as Holly Harp) (24 October 1939 – 24 April 1995) was an American fashion designer based in Los Angeles known for her nostalgic designs and style reminiscent of the hippie era.

Life Born as Helen Roberta Speller on October 24, 1939 in Buffalo, New York, Holly Harp studied art and costume design at North Texas State University, Harp died of ovarian cancer on April 24, 1995 at the Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. She also had breast cancer. Her mother predeceased her, dying when Harp was nine years old. Harp was survived by her ex-husband, son, fiancé, and siblings: sisters Elizabeth Horn and Sarah Bozzola, and brother Thomas Speller Jr.

Work Harp's work consisted of materials including nylon, silk, rayon, jersey, and chiffon. The style of her work ranged from a hippie, psychedelic style to a romantic, fantasy inspired style. She considered herself to work with nostalgia,

In 1968, Harp opened "Holly's Harp", a boutique on the Sunset Strip. Bergdorf Goodman, and Neiman Marcus. In 1973, Harp filed for a patent under the name "Holly's Harp and Design" under "Holly's Harp Inc". Harp was one of the designers who took over the work from designer Anne Klein after her death in 1974. In 1978, clothes from her factory were shipped to ninety stores. In 1986, her designs at Henri Bendel sold for $650 to $1,350. The boutique Holly's Harp closed in 1986, though she continued to work at her studio in Culver City until her death in 1995. After her diagnosis of breast cancer, Harp claimed her assistant Amy Michelson as the designer to continue her line. The firm "Holly's Harp" was inherited by her son and continued operations, including the creation of a new clothing line titled "HH by Amy Michelson” and a bridal line “Amy Michelson Wedding“ as well as the “Amy Michelson for Holly Harp” collection, until closing in 1999 at a stable volume of business of roughly $2.5 million. She was additionally head costume designer on movies such as Sleeper and The Turning Point, and her work appeared in the movie Cabaret.

Her activity in the Los Angeles community extended to other artists and causes. She designed clothes for Judy Chicago to paint on for International Festival of the Arts in New York, held a fundraiser with Elyse Grinstein to raise money for Chicago's art project "The Dinner Party" in 1990 which Harp had also worked with Chicago on, and donated fabrics to Chicago's projects "Creation of the World". Harp did a show at a luncheon for the Cedars Sinai Hospital, and delivered meals to AIDs patients during protests. and nominated for an award at the Los Angeles Woman's Building Annual Vesta Awards ceremony in 1990. She won the Distinguished Alumnus award in 1979 from her alma mater, University of North Texas.

Harp's work is stored in collections at the MET, the Oakland Museum of California, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Thomas Jefferson University.