THE ORIGINAL ISSUE

Willi Smith

The Father of Streetwear

The Original Issue is a Black History Month series from The Whitaker Group honoring Black fashion pioneers whose influence shaped global style long before it was named, credited, or claimed elsewhere. Positioned as a digital magazine, the series reframes Black American fashion as the original issue, the first print from which streetwear, luxury, and contemporary fashion continue to draw inspiration. Each featured pioneer is presented not as a footnote, but as a cover story, recognizing Black fashion as both cultural record and creative origin.

Before streetwear became a category, before luxury learned how to loosen its grip, Willi Smith was already designing clothing for real life.

Willi Smith believed fashion should belong to the people who wore it. His work centered comfort, versatility, and expression at a time when fashion remained rigid and exclusive. He designed clothing meant to move through cities, neighborhoods, and daily routines without asking anyone to change who they were.

In 1976, Smith co-founded WilliWear Ltd., building one of the most successful Black owned fashion brands of the twentieth century. By the mid 1980s, WilliWear was generating over twenty five million dollars annually, proving that clothing rooted in everyday experience could reach scale without sacrificing creativity or integrity. Smith described his work as street couture, blending the discipline of design with the reality of the street.

Loose silhouettes. Mix and match garments. Clothing that invited people to make it their own rather than follow instructions. Willi Smith rejected rigid fashion hierarchies by designing pieces that felt accessible across class, background, and lifestyle. His work made room for movement and choice at a time when luxury was still defined by restriction.

Through WilliWear, Smith treated clothing as something meant to live in. His designs moved easily between work, home, and social spaces, reflecting the realities of everyday life. He believed fashion should support people rather than ask them to perform for it.

His collaborations with artists like Keith Haring and his involvement in large scale cultural projects further expanded how fashion could function in the world. These partnerships positioned clothing as part of a broader cultural conversation, connected to art, music, and public life. Fashion was no longer separate from culture. It was embedded within it.

Many of the silhouettes we now consider foundational trace directly back to Smith’s vision. Relaxed tailoring. Forgiving proportions. Versatility that allows a single piece to move across settings and occasions. Clothing that adapts to the wearer, not the other way around.

Decades later, the industry continues to revisit ideas Willi Smith lived by. Accessibility. Comfort. Expression. These values are often framed as innovation today, but they were already present in his work.

Willi Smith did not wait for fashion to evolve.
He built what people already needed.