Jon Haggins
Willi was like a younger brother. I recall he brought Toukie to my cabaret performance in the seventies. Willi definitely had a flair for casual, comfortable sportswear. Scott Barrie, Stephen Burrows, Willi Smith, and I were doing our thing and making our fashion statements while the Black Revolution was happening across America. We were a pack that revolutionized fashion with our own style in the late sixties.
Willi was a very generous man. He even sent Toukie to my studio to purchase a gown. Whenever I met with Willi, he always had a smile and a great story to tell. We were featured together in Women’s Wear Daily. I was a guest in his house on Fire Island, and boy was that fun. Time spent with Willi was always fun. The passing of Willi was a tremendous loss for the fashion industry.
Willi was a very generous man. He even sent Toukie to my studio to purchase a gown. Whenever I met with Willi, he always had a smile and a great story to tell. We were featured together in Women’s Wear Daily. I was a guest in his house on Fire Island, and boy was that fun. Time spent with Willi was always fun. The passing of Willi was a tremendous loss for the fashion industry.
Women’s Wear Daily article, “The Together Thing,” featuring designers Jon Haggins, Willi Smith, and Mary Ann Restivo dancing and wearing their own designs. November 25, 1968. Photo courtesy of the Women’s Wear Daily Archive
