Smith conceived Expedition as a new format for presenting the WilliWear spring 1986 collection. The film was shot by Max Vadukul in Dakar, Senegal, in 1985 and featured several of Smith’s regular collaborators including Mark Bozek, Linda Mason, and Peter Gordon. Smith cast the film with locals and the Theatre National Daniel Sorano dance troupe, styling actors in WilliWear looks inspired by the streets of Dakar. Expedition embodies WilliWear’s embrace of film as a mechanism for disseminating fashion concepts beyond the runway and Smith’s desire to draw inspiration from and reflect on his African heritage while encouraging his audience to explore African cultures.