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Speaker 1: Hey, what's up people?

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Speaker 2: This is Questlove and an honor of Black History Month,

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Speaker 2: when Fridays we'll be releasing episodes of Historical Records my

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Speaker 2: podcast with the story Pirates. It's an explosive fusion of

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Speaker 2: hip hop and history, tailor made for music loving kids

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Speaker 2: and families. That's right, you heard right, something the entire

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Speaker 2: family can sit back, listen to, and enjoy together. So

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Speaker 2: in this episode, host Nemony learns how street guiture fashion

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Speaker 2: came to be with a brand new hip hop track

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Speaker 2: about fashion pioneer Willie Smith, featuring an interview between fashion

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Speaker 2: designer Humberto Leon and an eight year old fashion lover

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Speaker 2: from New York named Olivia. Get your kids, Sit back

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Speaker 2: and enjoy Historical Records, the show that proves that in

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Speaker 2: order to make history, you have to make some noise.

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Speaker 3: Hi listeners, Neminy here in the ballroom of the Secret Bunker,

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Speaker 3: reporting to you live Fashion's biggest night of the year.

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Speaker 3: In just a moment, Tina and the other raccoons are

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Speaker 3: gonna try on all my clothes and hit the runway.

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Speaker 3: We're expecting a lot of different looks out of my

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Speaker 3: closet tonight, and we're hopeful that will find at least

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Speaker 3: one outfit that I am still willing to wear. I've

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Speaker 3: just received word from Tina that the show is starting. Oh,

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Speaker 3: and here comes the first model down the runway. It's

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Speaker 3: Tina standing on top of four other raccoons, so they're

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Speaker 3: the same height as me. And look at this. They're

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Speaker 3: wearing my favorite simple black dress. Now, this dress is

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Speaker 3: very special to me. I got it during my junior

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Speaker 3: year of college. I wear it to eighty percent of

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Speaker 3: the nice events I have to attend, and it's honestly

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Speaker 3: starting to get a little scratching in the shoulders. It

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Speaker 3: is pretty, but it's also pretty tired and should probably

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Speaker 3: be cut up and repurposed into kitchen rags. Sorry, Tina,

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Speaker 3: that one is not happening. But don't worry, listeners. We've

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Speaker 3: got two more, hopefully passable options to see, and here

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Speaker 3: they come again. Wow. This next piece coming down the

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Speaker 3: runway is a real stutter, also being worn by five

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Speaker 3: raccoons standing on top of each other. This one is

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Speaker 3: a floral pant suit, and it looks like the raccoons

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Speaker 3: are having some fun up there.

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Speaker 1: We love to see.

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Speaker 3: It, but does this dress still work for me? I'm

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Speaker 3: not so sure it does, Tina. This is an outfit

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Speaker 3: that I wore once for my cousin's wedding and then

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Speaker 3: never wore again. Did it look good at the time, Absolutely?

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Speaker 3: Can I bring myself to wear it again? Absolutely not.

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Speaker 3: No one said fashion was easy. Side note. Is there

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Speaker 3: anything more adorable than the sound of a crowd of

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Speaker 3: raccoons being bummed out? I think not now. This last

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Speaker 3: outfit coming down the runway once again, being worn by

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Speaker 3: five raccoons standing on top of one another, is a

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Speaker 3: vampire tape. Vampire tape and a vampire wig. It's my

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Speaker 3: Halloween costume from last year. I was a vampire. Stop

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Speaker 3: the music, Tina, None of these options work. I have

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Speaker 3: a confession to make Scientists. International magazine is doing a

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Speaker 3: big feature on scientists who live in top secret underground bunkers,

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Speaker 3: and they're sending a photographer here today to howurd top

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Speaker 3: secret underground bunker to take a picture of me. I agree.

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Speaker 3: The reason I ask you and the other raccoons to

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Speaker 3: do this fashion show is because I have absolutely nothing

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Speaker 3: glamorous to wear.

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Speaker 4: Its historical records.

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Speaker 5: You are now listening to historical.

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Speaker 3: To make history, you got to have struggles. To make history,

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Speaker 3: you got to show poys cannot be quiet loud that

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Speaker 3: so rye. To make history, you gotta make some noise.

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Speaker 3: Welcome back to Historical Records, where we conduct highly experimental

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Speaker 3: experiments combining history and hip hop. Today's episode is about

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Speaker 3: the pioneering fashion designer Willie Smith. But we'll get to

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Speaker 3: Willy in a minute. Right now, I'm in the middle

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Speaker 3: of my own fashion disasser. I agree the vampire costume

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Speaker 3: is funny, but I need to impress my fellow scientists,

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Speaker 3: not make them laugh. My boring black dress, my floral

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Speaker 3: pants suit, my vampire Halloween costume. None of these outfits

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Speaker 3: feel like they're really gonna wow anyone. I want to

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Speaker 3: wow people. What do you mean you have just the thing? Dana?

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Speaker 3: Where are you calling? Oh? Okay, the spotlight on the

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Speaker 3: runway is back. Uh. Our next model is about to

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Speaker 3: come down the runway, where what she assures me is

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Speaker 3: the greatest outfit of all time. Yes, there she is

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Speaker 3: Tina the Raccoon, and it appears that she is wearing

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Speaker 3: a dress made entirely of garbage. Okay, no raccoons, Thanks

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Speaker 3: for your help, but I can't wear a dress made

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Speaker 3: of trash for my big photo shoot. This is Scientist's

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Speaker 3: international magazine we're talking about. It's like the biggest publication

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Speaker 3: amongst scientists who are international and who also read magazines.

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Speaker 3: Thanks Tina, I knew you'd understand. Let's look in my

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Speaker 3: closet one more time in case I missed something. Hello,

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Speaker 3: cute and fancy clothes, where are you? Hmm Nope, No

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Speaker 3: fancy impressive clothes in here, Just a bunch of useless junk.

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Speaker 3: Wait a minute, how have I never noticed this hit

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Speaker 3: door before? Just as I suspected, this door leads to

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Speaker 3: a gigantic closet. Closet clu Oh no, this is a library.

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Speaker 3: That tiny door just led to the library. Wait a second,

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Speaker 3: Maybe one of the historians can help me find something

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Speaker 3: to wear, Gabe, lay anyone in here. I need a

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Speaker 3: historian who also has the fashion seens, if possible. What

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Speaker 3: was that? And where is all this smoke coming from?

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Speaker 1: Oh high, niminy, Gabe? What was that huge kaboom sound?

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Speaker 1: Sorry about that.

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Speaker 6: I've just been testing out the latest design for my

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Speaker 6: history simulator. Want to give it a try? Well I

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Speaker 6: kind of need Come on, it'll just take a second. Here,

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Speaker 6: put on this helmet.

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Speaker 3: M okay, I guess this helmet is kind of cute.

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Speaker 6: Now climb up here and slide down this tube a

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Speaker 6: new love a slide, and get ready to get blasted

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Speaker 6: off in this gigantic old timey cannon like the kind

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Speaker 6: they have at the Sir, I guess I thought.

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Speaker 3: You said this was a history simulator.

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Speaker 1: It is.

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Speaker 6: It just so happens to be shaped like a gigantic

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Speaker 6: old timey cannon, like.

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Speaker 1: The kind they have at the Circus.

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Speaker 6: But instead of launching this space, it launches you through time.

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Speaker 3: Gabe. You and I both know I love traveling through history,

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Speaker 3: but I don't know that I want to be launched

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Speaker 3: through history.

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Speaker 1: Don't worry about it. I'll do it with you.

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Speaker 5: Mmm.

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Speaker 7: Got it.

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Speaker 6: Let's sit in here, an astute observation and an improvement

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Speaker 6: I'll make in version two point zero.

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Speaker 3: Wait, this is only the first draft of your time cannon.

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Speaker 6: I prefer history simulator shape like a gigantic Old timey cannon,

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Speaker 6: like the kind they have.

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Speaker 1: At the Circus. But yes, this is the first draft.

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Speaker 1: Now let's simulate history.

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Speaker 3: This is safe, right, Gabe.

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Speaker 6: Honestly I'm still working out the kinks.

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Speaker 3: Wait what see, what's.

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Speaker 1: Look beneath us.

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Speaker 6: That's all of human history, and it's flying right by us.

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Speaker 3: Kind of feels like we're flying right by next.

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Speaker 1: Now you're getting it.

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Speaker 6: Remember to tuck and roll when you lando tucking roll

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Speaker 6: when you boo, I was saying, never mind you, Okay, Gabe,

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Speaker 6: can I.

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Speaker 3: Give you some constructive feedback on your history? Simulator shape

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Speaker 3: like a gigantic old timey cannon, like the kind they

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Speaker 3: have at the circus.

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Speaker 1: It's a long name. I know, I'm working on it.

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Speaker 3: That's not what I was gonna say. Look over there,

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Speaker 3: is that a fashion show?

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Speaker 1: Let's take a look.

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Speaker 3: Oh wait a minute, where are we This doesn't look

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Speaker 3: like a normal fashion show.

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Speaker 6: You're right, it's the early nineteen eighties and we're at

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Speaker 6: the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York City.

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Speaker 3: A dance studio.

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Speaker 5: Yep.

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Speaker 6: Alvin Ailey was a famous choreographer who fused ballet, jazz, theater,

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Speaker 6: and modern dance with narratives about black life.

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Speaker 3: Well, Alvin Ailey sounds cool, But if we're doing a

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Speaker 3: fashion show in a dance studio, the designer probably isn't

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Speaker 3: that good.

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Speaker 6: Are you sure about that? Take a closer look at

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Speaker 6: the crowd.

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Speaker 3: Wait a minute, is that Spike Lee, the famous film director?

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Speaker 3: M h and keep herring. Oh, he's one of my

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Speaker 3: favorite artists.

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Speaker 6: And sitting right next to him is Andrew Whitten aka Zephyr,

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Speaker 6: a legend in the graffiti world.

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Speaker 3: Is everyone in this audience somewhat interesting?

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Speaker 1: Yep?

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Speaker 6: Each of them is a luminary in their field, most

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Speaker 6: from the New York fashion scene.

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Speaker 3: So whose fashion show is this?

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Speaker 1: The lights are going down, let's watch and find out together.

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Speaker 3: Oh my goodness, these models are all so beautiful and unique.

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Speaker 3: Some of them are tall, some of them are shorts,

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Speaker 3: some are bigger, some are smaller. I see different shades

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Speaker 3: of skin men and women. Is this what every fashion

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Speaker 3: show was like in the nineteen eighties?

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Speaker 6: Not at all for the nineteen eighties. This is incredibly diverse.

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Speaker 3: And these clothes, shapes and colors and fabrics. I love

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Speaker 3: everything I'm seeing. I have to know who the designer is.

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Speaker 1: Well, here he comes.

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Speaker 3: Now.

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Speaker 6: His name is Willie Smith and we're at a show

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Speaker 6: for his popular fashion brand, Willie Ware.

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Speaker 3: So that's Willie Smith. He's such a talented designer. Uh okay, Gabe,

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Speaker 3: do you hear that sizzling sound like someone lit a

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Speaker 3: long wick and it's slowly burning its way towards something gigantic.

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Speaker 1: I do.

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Speaker 6: That means it's time to head back into the Ji

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Speaker 6: sor can hissulator. Huh uh, the gigantic circus canon history simulator.

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Speaker 1: I'm workshopping the name. Remember that when you wear?

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Speaker 3: Where are we now? And what's that delicious smell?

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Speaker 6: I believe you're smelling fresh doses because we're in.

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Speaker 1: Mumbai, India.

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Speaker 3: What are we doing here?

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Speaker 6: This is one of the places where Willy Smith got

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Speaker 6: his inspiration while traveling the world in search of the

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Speaker 6: right fabrics for his clothing. Willie didn't look to Paris

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Speaker 6: or Milan, but that's where all the.

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Speaker 3: Fashion designers find the fabrics with all the fun colors

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Speaker 3: and patterns.

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Speaker 1: Right, not exactly.

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Speaker 6: Willy was looking for colors and patterns, sure, but he

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Speaker 6: was also looking for durable fabrics that could give his

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Speaker 6: clothes a flowing feel in looser shapes.

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Speaker 3: Wooh, look at the price tag on this fabric. It's lavish,

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Speaker 3: but it's also affordable. That's exactly what brought Willy to India.

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Speaker 6: He wanted fabrics that weren't just pretty look at, but

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Speaker 6: that you could actually live and work in, and it

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Speaker 6: helped him make sure that everyone could afford his pieces.

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Speaker 3: So he didn't want to look in all the same

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Speaker 3: place as all the other designers were looking exactly smart.

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Speaker 3: Oh man, that dosa looks tasty. Maybe I'll just snag

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Speaker 3: a bite.

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Speaker 6: No time, there's more history to simulate to the historical

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Speaker 6: circus blaster three thousand.

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Speaker 3: Em that's not it either. Hey, can we go slower

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Speaker 3: this time? Sorry?

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Speaker 6: Gigantic old timey cannon like the kind they have at

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Speaker 6: the circus, only has one speed.

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Speaker 3: Here we go, Man, I keep landing wrong, and now

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Speaker 3: I'm hungry. I really wanted that Noza niminy.

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Speaker 1: It was a simulated dosa.

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Speaker 3: Well it made me simulated hungry. Where are we now?

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Speaker 1: We're in Harlem, New York City.

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Speaker 6: There's the Abyssinian Baptist Church, and there's the Apollo Theater,

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Speaker 6: and over there is one hundred and twenty fifth Street,

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Speaker 6: lined with vendors selling everything from T shirts to community

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Speaker 6: newspapers to incense.

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Speaker 3: And let me guess that's stylish. Young man over there

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Speaker 3: with the loose fitting dressed clothes, looking at all the

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Speaker 3: people and sketching in his notebook is a young Willie

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Speaker 3: Smith Bingo.

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Speaker 6: Before he started Willywere Willy Smith would walk the streets

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Speaker 6: of New York, strolling past black churches on Sundays, taking

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Speaker 6: inspiration from the women wearing their Sunday best. While other

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Speaker 6: fashion designers were trying to dress celebrities and the ultra rich,

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Speaker 6: Willie was inspired by the style of everyday working class people.

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Speaker 3: Hey, look at that park. Those breakdancers have some pretty

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Speaker 3: funky moves.

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Speaker 6: This is the kind of park where Willie would watch

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Speaker 6: office workers in their old, stuffy business suits walking past

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Speaker 6: those breakdancers in their hip streetwear, and wonder, how can

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Speaker 6: I bring these two worlds together.

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Speaker 3: So streetwear hasn't always been a part of high.

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Speaker 6: Fashion, Willie was one of the first fashion designers to

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Speaker 6: bring influence from the streets, the clubs, and black culture

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Speaker 6: in general into high fashion. Without him, a lot of

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Speaker 6: today's streetwear brands probably wouldn't be what they are.

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Speaker 3: So before Willie Smith's high fashion was only for the rich,

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Speaker 3: and his work helped make fashion more accessible for everybody.

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Speaker 5: Yes.

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Speaker 6: In fact, one of his most famous quotes is, I

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Speaker 6: don't design clothes for the queen, but for the people

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Speaker 6: who wave at her as she goes by that.

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Speaker 3: But so far we're just talking about businessmen and bee boys.

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Speaker 3: Did Willy Smith design any clothing for women?

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Speaker 6: Actually, Willie Smith wasn't interested in designing solely for men

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Speaker 6: or for women. His brand Williware was one of the

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Speaker 6: first major fashion brands to design both and even include

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Speaker 6: plenty of gender neutral designs.

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Speaker 3: Sounds like Willie Smith was really ahead of his time.

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Speaker 3: Is this the neighborhood where he grew up?

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Speaker 1: Not at all, He grew up in Philadelphia. Want to see?

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Speaker 3: Oh no, not more time blasting.

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Speaker 1: Time blasting. That's pretty good. Let's keep spitballing off that.

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Speaker 1: Look I can do a backflip.

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Speaker 6: Who we're flying?

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Speaker 3: Oh, we're in a house. Maybe I can find some

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Speaker 3: cool clothes in one of these closets.

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Speaker 6: Wait, wait, wait, first, look around this bedroom we're in.

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Speaker 3: Hmm, there are a lot of drawings on the walls,

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Speaker 3: like a lot of drawings. Is this WILLI myths room?

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Speaker 6: Yes, it's his childhood bedroom in Philadelphia in the early

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Speaker 6: nineteen sixties.

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Speaker 3: Look at this notebook. These drawings have so much imagination

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Speaker 3: in them. Oh, look at all these people wearing elegant costumes.

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Speaker 6: Even from a young age. Willie loved to draw in

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Speaker 6: design clothes. His mother even told him that she knew

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Speaker 6: he was born to be an artist or a designer.

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Speaker 3: Is Willy here right now?

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Speaker 1: He's not home.

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Speaker 6: His mom and grandma have taken him to the Philadelphia

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Speaker 6: Museum of Art, something they did frequently.

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Speaker 3: Oh, I love that museum.

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Speaker 1: So did Willy's family.

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Speaker 6: They encouraged his love of drawing clothing and took.

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Speaker 1: Him to the museum to sketch.

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Speaker 6: They didn't have a lot of money, but they did

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Speaker 6: have style, and after his parents divorced, Willy's grandma encouraged

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Speaker 6: him to continue pursuing his dreams of working in fashion design.

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Speaker 3: Sounds like his upbringing was a really big influence on him.

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Speaker 6: Indeed, Willie's friend, former neighbor and fashion editor Kim Hastrider

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Speaker 6: once said what would make Willy proud was not when

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Speaker 6: a movie star wore his clothes.

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Speaker 1: He would burst with pride.

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Speaker 6: When he'd see black kids on the street running around

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Speaker 6: in his stuff, or those black ladies at the bank

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Speaker 6: wearing it to work.

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Speaker 3: How sweet? Okay, now about those closets.

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Speaker 6: Nimity, they're simulated closets full of simulated clothes.

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Speaker 3: Well, I can still try them on can't. I.

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Speaker 6: But there's so much more to see to the super big,

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Speaker 6: super old circuits reminiscent history simulating blasting machine.

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Speaker 3: That's an even worse and longer name than before. Wait,

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Speaker 3: why are we in a comic book shop?

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Speaker 6: Well, I wanted to talk about Willy Smith's legacy. Sadly,

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Speaker 6: as his company was making record profits, Willy's success in

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Speaker 6: the fashion world was cut short when he passed away

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Speaker 6: in nineteen eighty seven at the age of thirty nine,

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Speaker 6: due to complications from AIDS.

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Speaker 3: That's so young.

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Speaker 6: Unfortunately, Yes, the AIDS epidemic of the nineteen eighties took

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Speaker 6: away man any of our best artists and leaders, especially

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Speaker 6: those in the LGBTQ community, But Willy's influence can still

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Speaker 6: be felt everywhere. His designs were worn by famous dancers

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Speaker 6: in Spike Lee movies like School Days, and even in

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Speaker 6: the pages of this comic book Spider Man Yep. In

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Speaker 6: the issue where Peter Parker and Mary Jane finally get married,

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Speaker 6: Mary Jane's wedding grace was designed by none other than

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Speaker 6: Willie Smith. Now follow me outside this bronze plaque right

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Speaker 6: here on the seventh Avenue Fashion Walk of Fame in

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Speaker 6: New York City commemorates Willie Smith and his contribution to fashion.

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Speaker 6: In nineteen eighty eight, one year after his death, New

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Speaker 6: York City's first black Mayor, David Dinkins proclaimed February twenty

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Speaker 6: third as Willie Smith Day in New York City.

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Speaker 3: February twenty third.

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Speaker 6: That's today, Well it is here in the simulation. Oh boy,

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Speaker 6: speaking of look at the time space. We really should

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Speaker 6: be heading back home. Un Hey, nice landing.

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Speaker 3: Thanks. I've had lots of practice with the gigantic old

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Speaker 3: timey cannon, like the kind they have at the circus.

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Speaker 1: I believe you mean the time cannon.

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Speaker 3: That's the official name you're going with.

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Speaker 1: Yep.

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Speaker 3: Isn't that what I called it the very first time

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Speaker 3: I got in?

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Speaker 1: Yep?

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Speaker 3: And didn't you tell me you prefer gigantic old timey cannon,

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Speaker 3: like the kind they have at the circus.

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Speaker 1: I've grown and I've changed fair anyway. That was fun.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, I had a blast, literally, But also I learned

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Speaker 3: how to look at fashion in a totally different way.

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Speaker 3: Maybe I was thinking about my photo shoot all wrong.

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Speaker 3: I wonder what Willie would suggest I wear something practical

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Speaker 3: and yet somehow still cool.

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Speaker 1: Don't you have a song to record.

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Speaker 3: Oh you're right, I nearly forgot to the recording studio.

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Speaker 3: Bye Gabe. Wow, All right, listeners, check out this brand

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Speaker 3: new song all about Willie Smith.

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Speaker 8: When people even nain't Willie Smith, I want them to

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Speaker 8: think that this is a person who cares enough about

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Speaker 8: them that he's taking the time to design and create

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Speaker 8: and think for them, like all Lellens of America.

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Speaker 7: I could tell you what sale how I was supposed

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Speaker 7: to fail, but then I ended up sailing with all

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Speaker 7: the boats and whales. Before I was selling clothes, I

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Speaker 7: had hope for sale, and even at a discount. It

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Speaker 7: was so for real. Grew up in Hilladelkh had a

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Speaker 7: little help, Nope, a lot of help. My mother and

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Speaker 7: my father told me to go for self. Got it

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Speaker 7: to yourself, do your best, get it gone and you

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Speaker 7: can get coins. But true freedom is the wealth. Willie,

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Speaker 7: that's my name came into game. We'll get into all

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Speaker 7: of that, but for now I'm saying I'm conveying my

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Speaker 7: joy struggle. My joy not different from so many other

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Speaker 7: black boys. And I knew there was a world that

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Speaker 7: was almost had a reason. But I had to learn

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Speaker 7: lessons that nobody could see tablets full of design and fabric.

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Speaker 9: Because it's your fashion.

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Speaker 7: It is one thing. The style is another, my choice.

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Speaker 7: I'm afreedom to love imagine.

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Speaker 1: Brand new, but it's still classic.

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Speaker 7: Yes, I made clothes. Yes, I love to sew. I

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Speaker 7: possessed the fashion that I ain't even know. I knew

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Speaker 7: I had to grow. And you know I love Philly,

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Speaker 7: but New York City, Yeah, I knew I had to go.

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Speaker 7: My best decision him lines crafted with so much precision.

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Speaker 1: You could see the fishing.

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Speaker 9: A few people.

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Speaker 7: Mentioned that it wasn't up to snuff, but eventually everybody

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Speaker 7: was loving my stuff. My mind went to another place

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Speaker 7: to create something live. The colors more vibrant, my own

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Speaker 7: little island where I could spend time on the shore,

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Speaker 7: getting close to the source.

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Speaker 1: And I'm smiling.

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Speaker 7: Now got a new clothing line. Yeah, it's finally out, Willie.

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Speaker 10: Where hit it in?

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Speaker 7: Get it there everywhere?

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Speaker 5: I swear.

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Speaker 7: I think back to the famous line, clothes don't make

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Speaker 7: the man unless you wear. In mind my joy, the

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Speaker 7: scene is overdone. It's supposed to be fun, but how

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Speaker 7: they want to say? So, let's go on and give

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Speaker 7: them so. I walked the line from the Harle of

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Speaker 7: Renaissance to de boys are richer now for the culture.

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Speaker 7: No decoys, street bustle and loud.

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Speaker 1: Crowns, sweet noise.

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Speaker 7: These are the things I mean when I speak joy

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Speaker 7: in twenty five mail offt designs.

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Speaker 1: I chose so you can chill or if you.

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Speaker 9: Want to profile and pose.

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Speaker 7: And I don't make clothes for the queen. I'm making

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Speaker 7: for the people on the street who wave at the limousine.

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Speaker 7: I did it for us, those kids on the front,

402
00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:51,600
Speaker 7: stupid beautiful ladies who need a cute new suits. You

403
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Speaker 7: don't have to be safe to have taste. Make it oversize,

404
00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:57,960
Speaker 7: plus neon, green and ad lace whatever. I lived my

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Speaker 7: life with no regrets. Being true to my self meant

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Speaker 7: more than my success. I never claimed to be the

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Speaker 7: greatest of the best. I just wanted you to be

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Speaker 7: well dressed, and it's my pleasure.

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Speaker 9: Joy stretch your arms out as far as you can,

410
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Speaker 9: your hands right there.

411
00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:26,879
Speaker 1: Where you stand.

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Speaker 3: We'll be right back after a few words. For the

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Speaker 3: grown ups. What a song the intercom buzzing, Well, I

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Speaker 3: guess that means the photographers here don't worry, Tina. I

415
00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:09,480
Speaker 3: figured it all out for my big photo shoot to

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Speaker 3: be featured in Scientists International magazine. I've decided that I'm

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Speaker 3: just going to wear my normal, everyday lab coat. Yep.

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Speaker 3: High fashion doesn't always mean the most expensive or exclusive thing.

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Speaker 3: Fashion is about expression, and my lab coat is the

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00:23:26,119 --> 00:23:29,800
Speaker 3: truest expression of me. It's comfy, it's functional, and a

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00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:32,080
Speaker 3: nice uniform reminds me of what I do and why

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00:23:32,160 --> 00:23:37,919
Speaker 3: I love it. Of course, I want to impress my colleagues,

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Speaker 3: and I think this lab coat might do the trick.

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Speaker 3: And I don't need to spend a bunch of money

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Speaker 3: on something over the top to do that. No, you go, girl,

426
00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:51,639
Speaker 3: to answer the door. I need you to answer the

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Speaker 3: door and tell them I'll be just a minute. I

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Speaker 3: have an interview. Thanks Tina. All right, yeah, this helmet

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Speaker 3: hair probably isn't it for a photoshoot or an interview

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Speaker 3: for that matter. Today we're joined by fashion designer Umberto

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Speaker 3: Leon and an amazing kid named Olivia. Can you too

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Speaker 3: introduce yourselves?

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Speaker 4: Hi?

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00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:18,040
Speaker 10: I'm Olivia, I'm eight years old and I live in

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Speaker 10: New York.

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00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:22,800
Speaker 4: I'm Umberto Leon and I'm co founder of Opening Ceremony

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00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:26,680
Speaker 4: and was the former creative director of Kenzo and I

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Speaker 4: live in California.

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Speaker 10: Umberto. Did you know I'm half Chinese too?

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00:24:30,800 --> 00:24:32,800
Speaker 4: You know what, I have daughters that are nine years

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Speaker 4: old and they look a little bit like you. So

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Speaker 4: I was going to ask you if you are half Chinese?

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Speaker 5: Do you speak it?

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Speaker 3: I know a bit.

445
00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:43,160
Speaker 5: Yeah. What dialect does your family speak?

446
00:24:43,440 --> 00:24:45,200
Speaker 10: I think we speak Cantonese.

447
00:24:45,520 --> 00:24:47,600
Speaker 5: Whoa, that's what I speak actually.

448
00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:50,240
Speaker 3: So, Olivia, what's your first question for Umberto?

449
00:24:50,560 --> 00:24:52,440
Speaker 10: Why'd you become a fashion designer?

450
00:24:52,760 --> 00:24:53,560
Speaker 5: That's a great question.

451
00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:56,960
Speaker 4: When I was younger, I didn't know that being a

452
00:24:57,040 --> 00:25:00,119
Speaker 4: fashion designer was a job, you know. I I just

453
00:25:00,359 --> 00:25:02,879
Speaker 4: went to the mall and I saw clothing. I didn't

454
00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:06,399
Speaker 4: really think anything about that. And so I got my

455
00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:09,840
Speaker 4: first job working at a store. Have you ever heard

456
00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:10,880
Speaker 4: of the store called the Gap?

457
00:25:11,320 --> 00:25:11,520
Speaker 3: Yeah.

458
00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:15,879
Speaker 4: I started selling clothes and then my manager said, you

459
00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:19,000
Speaker 4: look like you would really like dressing the mannequins. So

460
00:25:19,119 --> 00:25:22,520
Speaker 4: then I started dressing the mannequins, and then I started

461
00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:26,960
Speaker 4: to do other stores mannequins and windows, and through that

462
00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:31,880
Speaker 4: experience it led me to eventually becoming a fashion designer.

463
00:25:32,200 --> 00:25:34,440
Speaker 10: Did you ever make clothes for your own parents?

464
00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:38,639
Speaker 4: So, growing up, my mom had three kids and the

465
00:25:38,760 --> 00:25:41,760
Speaker 4: only job she could take was to sew clothing for

466
00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:44,760
Speaker 4: a factory at home so that she could watch the kids.

467
00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:48,040
Speaker 4: And so she actually made clothes for me growing up

468
00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:51,440
Speaker 4: because I would see all these clothing in magazines and

469
00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:53,640
Speaker 4: I really loved it, but I couldn't afford it at

470
00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:56,760
Speaker 4: the time. So my mom decided to make all this

471
00:25:56,920 --> 00:25:59,720
Speaker 4: clothing for me. And so as I got to be

472
00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:02,760
Speaker 4: an adult, I wanted to repay that by doing things

473
00:26:02,840 --> 00:26:05,600
Speaker 4: for her. So I started to design clothing for her,

474
00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:07,240
Speaker 4: which was really really fun.

475
00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:08,880
Speaker 5: Wow, that's so cool.

476
00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:12,320
Speaker 3: How did you become interested in fashion? Olivia?

477
00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:15,399
Speaker 10: And my family's related to fashion a lot too, because

478
00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:20,800
Speaker 10: my great grandmother she was a seamstress, and my grandmother

479
00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:23,520
Speaker 10: she makes me dresses, and my mom used to work

480
00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:25,320
Speaker 10: for Vera Wang before I was born.

481
00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:29,040
Speaker 4: Did your mom save a lot of her clothing that

482
00:26:29,240 --> 00:26:32,240
Speaker 4: she got from your grandmother or that she made.

483
00:26:32,359 --> 00:26:33,760
Speaker 5: Did she save a lot of it for you?

484
00:26:34,320 --> 00:26:36,760
Speaker 10: Yeah? And my mom told me a long time ago

485
00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:39,960
Speaker 10: that Vera Wang made Mommy her wedding dress and she's

486
00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:41,960
Speaker 10: going to pass it on to me for my wedding.

487
00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:44,600
Speaker 5: That is so so special.

488
00:26:45,080 --> 00:26:49,199
Speaker 4: And Vera Wang is such a special designer because she's

489
00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:53,240
Speaker 4: one of the first Asian women to really make it

490
00:26:53,400 --> 00:26:54,400
Speaker 4: in the fashion.

491
00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:57,160
Speaker 3: World, Olivia, do you have any questions for Umberto about

492
00:26:57,160 --> 00:26:57,800
Speaker 3: Willie Smith?

493
00:26:58,200 --> 00:27:01,000
Speaker 10: So when you were younger, did Willie Smith any influence

494
00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:01,600
Speaker 10: on your work?

495
00:27:02,040 --> 00:27:06,400
Speaker 4: You know, I grew up loving Willie Smith's work so much.

496
00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:09,920
Speaker 4: Willy was really inspired by what people wore on the streets,

497
00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:11,959
Speaker 4: and you know, at the time, I think a lot

498
00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:14,560
Speaker 4: of people were looking towards what they called high fashion,

499
00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:17,440
Speaker 4: and high fashion was interesting and it was cool, but

500
00:27:17,560 --> 00:27:18,560
Speaker 4: it was exclusive.

501
00:27:18,680 --> 00:27:20,120
Speaker 5: Do you know what that word exclusive means?

502
00:27:20,359 --> 00:27:23,679
Speaker 4: I don't think so not really, okay, So exclusive means

503
00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:26,240
Speaker 4: like it's only for a really small group of people

504
00:27:26,560 --> 00:27:29,520
Speaker 4: who could afford it or who could find it. So

505
00:27:29,840 --> 00:27:34,080
Speaker 4: Willie went out to create fashion and clothing for everybody.

506
00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:36,800
Speaker 4: One of the things that is super super big that

507
00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:40,960
Speaker 4: he did is he created clothing that was genderless. And

508
00:27:41,080 --> 00:27:44,000
Speaker 4: I think that type of thinking when he was doing

509
00:27:44,119 --> 00:27:47,960
Speaker 4: this in the seventies and eighties was really really big

510
00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:51,639
Speaker 4: because at this time people were making clothes specifically like

511
00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:54,119
Speaker 4: girls had to wear this and boys had to wear this.

512
00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:57,800
Speaker 4: So he was really breaking the boundaries in terms of

513
00:27:58,040 --> 00:28:01,280
Speaker 4: what clothing means. I mean, I'll should a t shirt

514
00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:02,960
Speaker 4: be for boys or for girls?

515
00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:04,920
Speaker 10: Like, what do you think I think they should be

516
00:28:05,080 --> 00:28:05,480
Speaker 10: for both?

517
00:28:05,840 --> 00:28:09,000
Speaker 4: I totally agree with you. Why can't boys wear dresses?

518
00:28:09,359 --> 00:28:12,520
Speaker 4: Or why is pinka color for girls? I think that

519
00:28:12,680 --> 00:28:15,200
Speaker 4: a lot of the world has kind of put things

520
00:28:15,280 --> 00:28:18,800
Speaker 4: into buckets that don't need to exist. Everybody should be

521
00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:21,280
Speaker 4: able to wear anything they want to wear, and I

522
00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:25,760
Speaker 4: think that was Willy's idea. Willie Smith really changed what

523
00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:29,720
Speaker 4: fashion is and how people could participate in fashion.

524
00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:33,120
Speaker 3: Olivia, is there anything else you'd like to ask Comberto

525
00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:34,240
Speaker 3: before we say goodbye?

526
00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:37,000
Speaker 10: What's your favorite part of being a fashion designer.

527
00:28:37,320 --> 00:28:39,640
Speaker 4: One of my favorite things that I get to do

528
00:28:40,280 --> 00:28:42,920
Speaker 4: is I get to create something from nothing.

529
00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:46,280
Speaker 5: I also love clothing from all around the world.

530
00:28:46,360 --> 00:28:48,720
Speaker 4: I feel like there's so many amazing kind of clothing

531
00:28:48,840 --> 00:28:51,280
Speaker 4: that you see people wear for function.

532
00:28:51,800 --> 00:28:53,320
Speaker 5: So I love to think about function.

533
00:28:53,720 --> 00:28:55,640
Speaker 4: You know, where are you going to put your pockets,

534
00:28:55,800 --> 00:28:57,520
Speaker 4: what are you going to be carrying when you're wearing

535
00:28:57,640 --> 00:28:59,600
Speaker 4: those pants, or what are you going to be carrying

536
00:28:59,640 --> 00:29:02,360
Speaker 4: when you going on that hike. So it's almost like

537
00:29:02,360 --> 00:29:04,760
Speaker 4: a puzzle piece where you're designing, what you're thinking about

538
00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:07,320
Speaker 4: all these things that you want to make sure it does.

539
00:29:07,720 --> 00:29:10,040
Speaker 10: I think fashion takes like a lot of work. Like

540
00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:12,400
Speaker 10: for me, I sit down and fashion clocks and two

541
00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:15,720
Speaker 10: minutes later, my hands are covered in glue and I'm

542
00:29:15,920 --> 00:29:19,080
Speaker 10: sweating and there's fabric all over the place. And if

543
00:29:19,160 --> 00:29:21,400
Speaker 10: I ever made clothes, what style of advice did you

544
00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:23,200
Speaker 10: have for me other kids my age?

545
00:29:23,560 --> 00:29:26,280
Speaker 4: It's okay when you're designing to think a little bit

546
00:29:26,400 --> 00:29:29,920
Speaker 4: more wild and crazy, like don't hold back. And I

547
00:29:30,040 --> 00:29:31,960
Speaker 4: think that's the best advice.

548
00:29:31,680 --> 00:29:32,320
Speaker 5: I could give to you.

549
00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:35,880
Speaker 10: Well, you and your career sounds so awesome, and thank

550
00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:36,920
Speaker 10: you for talking with me.

551
00:29:37,320 --> 00:29:37,720
Speaker 5: Thank you.

552
00:29:38,240 --> 00:29:41,160
Speaker 4: I honestly loved all these questions you asked. You seem

553
00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:44,640
Speaker 4: like you're so well informed, and I hope to one

554
00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:47,960
Speaker 4: day meet you and maybe help you with your fashion ideas.

555
00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:49,160
Speaker 5: It sounds like you have a lot.

556
00:29:49,600 --> 00:29:52,600
Speaker 4: Yeah, I love that, and I think that anything that

557
00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:56,440
Speaker 4: you could take away from this conversation that inspires you means.

558
00:29:56,240 --> 00:29:56,800
Speaker 5: A lot to me.

559
00:29:57,160 --> 00:29:59,040
Speaker 10: Thank you, Emberte, goodbye.

560
00:29:59,040 --> 00:30:01,160
Speaker 5: Thank you so much, see you later.

561
00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:06,880
Speaker 3: What a great interview. I can't wait to see the

562
00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:10,440
Speaker 3: designs that Olivia comes up with someday, and I already

563
00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:14,560
Speaker 3: love Humberto Leone's designs, so I really loved getting to

564
00:30:14,680 --> 00:30:19,960
Speaker 3: hear more about where he gets his inspiration. Thanks Tina,

565
00:30:20,280 --> 00:30:22,560
Speaker 3: Tell the photographer, I'll be there in a minute. Let

566
00:30:22,640 --> 00:30:27,760
Speaker 3: me just put on my trusty lab coat and say

567
00:30:27,960 --> 00:30:31,200
Speaker 3: thank you to the listeners for learning all about Willie

568
00:30:31,240 --> 00:30:34,040
Speaker 3: Smith with me today and the nextra special thank you

569
00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:39,280
Speaker 3: to today's guests Humberto and Olivia. Remember our parents and teachers.

570
00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:43,080
Speaker 3: You can download a free activity related to today's episode

571
00:30:43,160 --> 00:30:47,920
Speaker 3: by visiting story pirates dot com slash Historical Records. We'll

572
00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:51,360
Speaker 3: be back next week with another historical record. Now, if

573
00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:54,720
Speaker 3: you'll excuse me, I've got a photoshoot to do. Oh

574
00:30:54,960 --> 00:30:59,080
Speaker 3: and one last thing. Remember to make history, you've got

575
00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:00,520
Speaker 3: to make some noise.

576
00:31:01,160 --> 00:31:12,640
Speaker 11: Find Historical Records is produced in partnership with story Pirate Studios,

577
00:31:12,920 --> 00:31:18,000
Speaker 11: Questlove's two one five Entertainment, John Glickman and iHeart Podcasts

578
00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:23,720
Speaker 11: Executive produced by Emir Questlove Thompson, John Glickman, Lee Overtree,

579
00:31:23,960 --> 00:31:28,720
Speaker 11: and Benjamin Salga. Executive produced for iHeart Podcasts by Noel Brown.

580
00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:33,160
Speaker 11: Producers for story Pirate Studios are Isabella Ricchio, Sam Bear,

581
00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:38,040
Speaker 11: Eric Gerson, Andrew Miller, Lee Overtree, Peter McNerney Denisa Whartonby

582
00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:41,720
Speaker 11: and niminy Ware. Producers for two one five are Sewn G,

583
00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:46,400
Speaker 11: Britney Benjamin and Sarah Zolman. Hosted by niminy Ware. Our

584
00:31:46,480 --> 00:31:50,320
Speaker 11: head writer is Duke Doyle. Our historians are Gabe Pacheco

585
00:31:50,400 --> 00:31:54,040
Speaker 11: and Lee Polus. Music supervision for two one five by

586
00:31:54,120 --> 00:31:58,240
Speaker 11: Stroe Elliott. Scoring and music supervision for Story Pirate Studios

587
00:31:58,280 --> 00:32:01,560
Speaker 11: by Eric Gerson. Sound signed and mixing by Sam Bear

588
00:32:01,640 --> 00:32:04,560
Speaker 11: at the Relic Room in New York City. Song mastering

589
00:32:04,680 --> 00:32:08,280
Speaker 11: by Josh Hahn. Theme song by Dan Foster and Eric Gerson,

590
00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:12,760
Speaker 11: and produced by Eric Gerson. Production coordination by Isabelle Riccio.

591
00:32:13,120 --> 00:32:16,520
Speaker 11: Production management by Maggie Lee. The line producer for Story

592
00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:20,440
Speaker 11: Pirate Studios is Glennis Brault. Pr for Story Pirate Studios

593
00:32:20,520 --> 00:32:24,400
Speaker 11: is provided by Naomi Shaw. Episode artwork by Camilla Franklin.

594
00:32:25,160 --> 00:32:28,640
Speaker 11: This episode was written by Mike Cavalon. The song Willie

595
00:32:28,680 --> 00:32:32,280
Speaker 11: Smith was written and produced by Micah James. Special guests

596
00:32:32,360 --> 00:32:35,160
Speaker 11: Umbert to Leone and kid interviewer Olivia.

597
00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:37,040
Speaker 1: This episode features.

598
00:32:36,720 --> 00:32:41,360
Speaker 11: Performances by Micah James, Peter McNerney, Lee Overtree, and Gabe Pacheco.

599
00:32:42,080 --> 00:32:44,680
Speaker 11: Special thanks to J T. Sue and Dan foster