Decades before inclusivity, diversity, visibility and representation became buzzwords du jour, African-American fashion designer and inventor of streetwear Willi Smith (1948-1987) blazed a groundbreaking path to democratise fashion and make it accessible and affordable for people from all walks of life. “I design for no particular age or race, but for someone who is curious about the world,” Smith told Metropolis magazine in 1985.
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In 1976, Smith partnered with Laurie Mallet to launch the iconic brand WilliWear, which planted the seeds for a global revolution in fashion that is even more pertinent now, some three decades after his untimely death at the age of 39 from Aids. “Smith pioneered much of what is resonating in fashion today – extensive collaborations between fashion, performance, architecture, graphic design and visual art,” says curator of contemporary design Alexandra Cunningham Cameron, who organized Willi Smith: Street Couture, the designer’s first museum exhibition.
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The exhibition explores Smith’s innovative approach to design, casting, and marketing in a series of photographs, video, design drawings, garments, patterns and ephemera that showcase Smith’s ability to transform clothing into a revolutionary force. Smith valued style over status and used his designs to cross-pollinate ideas about personal freedom that defied constructions of race, gender and class while embracing the multicultural ethos of the street.
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