Object Timeline

1984

  • Work on this object began.

2019

2020

2021

  • We acquired this object.

2024

  • You found it!

Drawing, Menswear Illustration, SUB-Urban Fall 1984 Collection, 1984

This is a drawing. It was designed by Willi Smith and made for WilliWear Ltd..

This object is not part of the Cooper Hewitt's permanent collection. It was able to spend time at the museum on loan from Bill Bonnell as part of Willi Smith: Street Couture.

It is dated 1984 and we acquired it in 2021. Its medium is pen and ink, graphite on paper. It is a part of the department.


"Willi and I came up in fashion together. We were like brothers. When we were young, Willi would show me photographs of a shirt, pants, blazer, and I would ask, ‘Why would you want to make that stuff?’ He would respond, ‘Alvin, I want to dress people in the streets.’ Willi created pedestrian clothes—clothes for the average person. He always told me that he strove to be the ‘designer of the people.’"

—Alvin Bell, designer

This object was donated by Bill Bonnell. It is credited Gift of Bill Bonnell.

Its dimensions are

H x W: 27.9 × 21.6 cm (11 in. × 8 1/2 in.)

Cite this object as

Drawing, Menswear Illustration, SUB-Urban Fall 1984 Collection, 1984; Designed by Willi Smith; Made for WilliWear Ltd.; pen and ink, graphite on paper; H x W: 27.9 × 21.6 cm (11 in. × 8 1/2 in.) ; Gift of Bill Bonnell; 2021-35-6

This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibition Willi Smith: Street Couture.

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian’s Terms of Use page.

For higher resolution or commercial use contact ArtResource.

If you would like to cite this object in a Wikipedia article please use the following template:

<ref name=CH>{{cite web |url=https://collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/2318802379/ |title=Drawing, Menswear Illustration, SUB-Urban Fall 1984 Collection, 1984 |author=Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum |accessdate=11 December 2024 |publisher=Smithsonian Institution}}</ref>