Object: Pantsuit
Brand:
WilliWear
(American, 1976 - 1990)
Designer:
Willi Smith
(1948 - 1987)
Date: c. 1984
Medium: Cotton
Country: USA
Credit Line: Gift of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA)
Object number: 2013.52.4
DescriptionMulticolor stripe pantsuit; jacket in cotton twill and pants in stretch cotton knit, narrow stripes in hot pink, turquoise blue, orange, lime green, black and white
Label Text:Willi Smith founded WilliWear in 1976 with partner Laurie Mallet. He soon established a reputation for fun and accessible sportswear – like this multi-stripe suit. Women’s Wear Daily reported that “the company went from $30,000 in sales the first year to $5 million the second.” Smith opened stores in New York, London, and Paris.
Exhibitions:
- A Queer History of Fashion: From the Closet to the Catwalk
- Black Fashion Designers