Meet Dan Williams | Creative Director & Fashion Archivist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dan Williams and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dan, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I feel like this has somewhat always been in the cards for me. I’ve been around business and fashion for my entire life. From my mothers extensive vintage Gucci collection to my brothers collecting Bape, Supreme, and Ed Hardy as a child, this is something I have always wanted to pursue. I want to be able to open the doors for diversity in the fashion industry and open the doors for there to be more creative directors of color to be in the luxury fashion space. I know it will take a lot of hard work and dedication but I am more than confident that I am capable of doing this and achieving that goal.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I would’ve never imagined that I’d be here, putting on runway shows and having a total of six collections under my belt and counting. From being that young boy who immersed himself into the history and world of fashion to an upcoming creative director is so surreal. I know I have so much more to do and time to go but I’m proud that I am even in the position I am in now. I’ve learned along the way first is to always put myself first. Never lose yourself trying to achieve a specific goal, and never allow anyone to take you out of your element and talk you out of doing what you love. I also learned that you will have obstacles along the journey but it’s up to you how you handle the obstacles that come along the way and if you’re going to allow them to get in the way of achieving something you truly desire. My freshman year of college, I had a class speaker tell me that creative direction wasn’t for me, and not once did I allow that to stop me from pursuing my dreams, it just pushed me to work harder. Aside from creative direction, I am also a fashion archivist. I have collected brands like Jean Paul Gaultier, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, Anna Sui, and Burberry to name a few amongst my archive. One day I hope to have an archive big enough to fit into a museum. Fingers crossed.
Currently I am working on my final show as a college student. This is my third show within a year and a half and sixth collection. This moment feels surreal as my college career is coming to an end but I am grateful for the journey travelled and even more grateful and excited for what’s next for me.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Here in San Antonio, we have quite a few spots that would be exciting to check out! First I would recommend checking out The Pearl as some days it hosts several vendors who have a variety of things to offer. They also have several shops and restaurants that are also exciting to check out. One of my favorites is the Pullman Market, which includes an awesome grocery store, several restaurants and a bar. Next I’d recommend checking out St.Mary’s strip which has restaurants, bars, a concert venue and a few vintage thrift shops! A few of my favorite places would be The Vaulti and Garden Exchange who both have vintage clothing. I also enjoy Midnight Swim which has music and a bar. The music is always good and the vibe is always great as well. La Cantera also has a mall and very nice restaurants there as well. One of my favorites is Perry’s Steakhouse. They have some amazing dishes that I think everyone should try at least once! There’s so much to do here locally that everyone would enjoy!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First, of Course all thanks and praise be to God for even bringing me this far in my career and life and I’m excited for where else he’s taking me in the near future. I also want to give a shoutout to my parents and best friends for always supporting me, and lastly my student organization at my university, As One We Will, for always supporting me and giving me a platform to share my art and creativity.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dannostudio/profilecard/?igsh=eHg2cW4zMDg3bm1h

Image Credits
Lilli Flores
Mike Torres
Jay Singh
Dan Williams
Fabi Espinoza