Anyone who’s ever been blessed enough to spend quality time with Anna Sui will find themselves endlessly inspired by the designer and her fashion universe. At any given moment, the conversation can range from 1970s WWD clippings, time spent rummaging through vintage stalls with Anita Pallenberg, and Romy Schneider decked out in Chanel in Luchino Visconti’s Boccaccio ’70, and so much more.

Sui is inspiring and inspired, and this past Junetheenth, she turned to Instagram to pay tribute to three Black designers she’s always admired and is inspired by: Willi Smith, Scott Barrie, and Stephen Burrows.

On Willi Smith

“I’ve been thinking about this movement of Black designers in the 70s that started with Willi Smith–he was the ‘it’ designer then. He did really cute clothes that I always loved seeing in Seventeen magazine, and his sister Toukie would model for him.”

On Scott Barrie

“He was known for doing these beautiful wrap jersey looks. He was super talented. I have the most beautiful deco bird-printed jacket of his. We became friends and used to go the Chinese restaurant Pearl’s on 55th Street — once we saw Fellini a few tables over! I also remember us going to the premiere of the film ‘Tommy’ and then the after party was underground in a NYC subway station. A couple of years ago, I saw his beautiful red wrap dress featured at the Museum at FIT’s exhibition ‘Black Fashion Designers.’”

On Stephen Burrows

“I love that Stephen Burrows creates his own world with his designs. The first time I saw his clothes was in Vogue Boutique–It was these photos by Charles Tracy who was Stephen Burrows’ good friend. He had a legendary boutique on Park Avenue South and 17th Street called O. Boutique, and a boutique in Henri Bendel. He had the coolest tribe of friends and they would all walk around dressed like this. He was good friends with Halston and they would hang out at Studio 54. He’s a friend of mine who comes to a lot of my shows. Here are some of the pictures from his beautiful retrospective at the Museum of the City of New York.”