William F. “Bill” Smith (1933–1991), born in Madison, Indiana, rose from humble beginnings to become a renowned designer of exquisite fine and costume jewelry in New York City.
William F. “Bill” Smith (1933–1991), born in Madison, Indiana, rose from humble beginnings to become a renowned designer of exquisite fine and costume jewelry in New York City.
His remarkable creations adorned the collections of socialites, actresses, and models, and he collaborated with fashion designers to create exclusive accessories. Throughout his illustrious career, he worked with esteemed companies like Laguna, Richelieu, Mark Cross, Ben Kahn, and Cartier.
In 1970, Smith made history as the first Black recipient of the Coty Award for costume jewelry design. His design style, celebrated for its powerful, uncompromising, and architectural modernism, featured geometric, linear structures and African inspired motifs. He drew inspiration from cinema, theater, and meticulous research, often visiting New York’s Cooper Hewitt Museum. During the 1970s, he designed jewelry for Cartier, as one of the few “named” designers of that era, bringing a fresh, modern aesthetic to Cartier America. In her book, Visionary Designs by Bill Smith, JoAnne M. Spiller notes that “Bill's talent earned him the unique position of the first designer of jewelry to have his name included with the company label.”
Bill Smith was also close friends with one of the early American supermodels, Naomi Sims. For Sims, he designed bespoke jewelry. Sims introduced him to the Kenton Corporation, the owner of Cartier America at the time, which led to the establishment of Bill Smith Studios.
This exhibition showcases one-of-a-kind jewelry drawn from the Jefferson County Historical Society and JoAnne M. Spiller Collections.
Reservations for guided or self-guided tours are required and should be made at least two weeks in advance of your anticipated arrival date. Parties of all sizes are welcome to book group tours, but discounted admission rates will only be available to groups of fifteen people or more.
Regular admission rates apply to parties of less than fifteen people. Parties of fifteen people or more are eligible for discounted admission rates. Please note that any other museum discounts are not applicable toward group admission prices.
Learn more about Bill Smith
Watch the Bill Smith Curator's Tour
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