︎

Community Archive



The Willi Smith Digital Community Archive invites friends, collaborators and admirers of American designer Willi Smith to share in writing his history. This site collects and publishes personal recollections, new scholarship, video, and digital ephemera that contributes to a greater understanding of Smith’s life, work, and times.


SEE ALL      INDEX
Cynthia Stubbs-Hill in optic print pantsuit, WilliWear Summer 1986 Collection Black-and-white optic print jacket and pant, WilliWear by Willi Smith Summer 1986 Collection


WilliWear shirt, Spring 1986 Collection

Cynthia Stubbs-Hill



I met Willi in SoHo on West Broadway in 1984 while walking down the street, and we came to a stoplight. Willi noticed that I was wearing a pair of his sneakers, which I loved. I was so excited to meet him because I admired him from Philadelphia, and I told him I was from Reading, Pennsylvania. We talked, and he was so kind and encouraged me to come and check out the company. I did and worked with the retail division opening outlet stores. This was the beginning of the retail division, and this developed into me working in the WilliWear stores in New York and Paris.
This website was designed by and created in collaboration with Cargo, as part of its ongoing initiative to support arts, design and culture.

This website was designed by and created in collaboration with Cargo, as part of its ongoing initiative to support arts, design and culture.