Exhibitions

Willi Smith: Street Couture

March 13, 2020 – October 24, 2021

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
2 East 91st Street
New York, NY

In the first museum exhibition dedicated to American designer Willi Smith (1948–1987), co-founder of the iconic brand WilliWear, over 200 works by Smith and collaborators will illuminate how the streetwear pioneer broke down social, cultural, and economic boundaries.

On the occasion of Willi Smith: Street Couture, Cooper Hewitt has created a digital community archive to honor the life and innovations of pioneering American designer Willi Smith. Powered by Cargo, the archive will collect and share anecdotes, personal photographs, ephemera, and garments to document Smith’s contributions to fashion, art, design, and performance.