The WilliWear universe was very free, and free from the confines of the fashion industry – both how it was then and still is now. In Willi Smith, I see obstacles – you hit as a Black queer person. I relate to his being in the fashion sphere and not giving a shit about the establishment. When he was designing his studios with rule-breaking architectural practice Site, Willi said that he wanted his spaces to be the exact opposite of what a Ralph Lauren studio looked like. That’s how I feel about where Oswalde sits in the design world. I think Smith was one of the forefathers of fashion culture as we know it – he should be so much better known than he is. And he should still be here with us.”
