Willie Smith--"The Beginning"

*Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania February 29 1948

Education
*Mastbaum Technical High School---Commerical Art
*Philadelphia College of Art---Fashion Illustration
*Parsons School of Design, New York--Earned Two Scholarships
-Freelanced

Inspiration
*Parents- Willie Lee Smith and June Smith
*Sister- Touki Smith
*Grandma- Gladys Bush
--All dressed fashionably despite limited budget

Legacy
*Most successful black designer in fashion history
*WilliWear Ltd. Sold $25 million worth of clothing a year
*Industry’s most successful young designer
*Hip-Hop style is almost identical to his designs