However, a new generation is discovering Smith and his egalitarian creations, bringing well-deserved attention to one of fashion’s pioneering Black creatives.īorn in Philadelphia in 1948, Smith enrolled in Parsons School of Design two decades later after he completed an internship with famed couturier Arnold Scaasi.
Yet Smith and his line have been almost entirely forgotten today. His incredibly successful clothing line, WilliWear, amassed over $25 million USD in revenue at its peak thanks to its people-first design ethos. When considering the combined impact of streetwear and Black culture upon today’s fashion industry, one must reckon with the legacy of Willi Smith.
