Fashion Reverie looks back at the illustrious career of Willi Smith. This native Philadelphian was a part of a wave of African American designers who came to prominence in the late 1960s and early 70s. Known for his inexpensive sportswear, under the label Williwear, Smith’s brand at its peak grossed 25 million annually and appeared in over 500 retail stores and specialty boutiques.
In 1983 Willi Smith won the prestigious Coty American Fashion Critics’ Award for Women’s Fashion, and in 1986 dressed Edwin Schlossberg in a nontraditional navy blue linen suit and silver tie for his wedding to Caroline Kennedy. ”I don’t design clothes for the Queen,” Mr. Smith once said, ”but for the people who wave at her as she goes by.”
Willi Smith was one of the first designers to match plaid, stripes and colors in men’s clothing. Throughout his career Willi Smith collaborated with many designers including John Bartlett, James Mischka, Antthony Mark Hankins, and many others. Smith also designed costumes for Spike Lee’s School Daze.
Willi Smith died of complications from AIDS on April 17, 1987.
—Staff
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I loved Willi Smith. My mother had an original Wili Wear blazer that she handed down to me and I ADORED it. I was devastated when he died and have never really gotten over it. I just picked up a Willi Smith linen shift dress type shirt from TJMaxx. ***Sigh*** Thanks for this post!
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