Smith’s Fall 1984 SUB-Urban collection embodied his desire to design for the needs of a broad audience rather than a chosen few. “If I don’t see my clothes on the street, I know I’ve done something wrong. Not because I’m not making money, but the message isn’t getting across.” Smith led a new wave of designers who prioritized functionality and affordability for an expanded workforce of women, a rising Black middle class, and a public disenchanted by the detached aspirations of the fashion world.