People buy artworks for all sorts of reasons, one of which is to display great acts of creative expression they find moving or inspiring. But what about apparel? Why can’t the things we wear out in the world have the same connotation and meaning as a painting or photograph?

Take it a step further: If artworks are creative acts by others that feel like manifestations of a part of our souls, what if you could have custom-made apparel that’s both an artist’s work and an extension of who you are?

Nick Williams’s Small Talk Studio poses and answers these questions directly. For his custom pieces, you send a list or scrapbook of things you’re interested in, which includes, according to Small Talk, “nostalgic references, significant personal objects, words, art pieces, food items, music, etc. Let it be a stream of consciousness- the more the better.” Williams then applies a combination of screen printing, illustration, and for an added fee, embroidery to create vivid, muralistic pieces that manifest cross-psyche artistry. To put it simply, you are rocking sick artwork on your clothing, and the artwork represents, literally, the things that interest you.

Unfortunately, Small Talk’s IG’s current bio reads, “custom orders CLOSED,” which speaks to its demand right now.

“I think I made the transition to starting to draw on clothes at the right moment,” Williams says.

He’s being coy: In the past few years Williams has taken commissions for some major fashion and streetwear figures — including Matty Matheson, Mordechai Rubinstein, and the late Virgil Abloh — and appeared in GQ, Hypebeast, Complex, and Blackbird Spyplane., In the words of De La Soul, he’s blown up, but he hasn’t gone pop.

In January 2021, Williams brought in longtime friend Phil Ayers to help expand Small Talk from clothing design and illustration into design work for diverse brands.

“We're definitely still focused mainly on clothes, but I think the illustration, that's the thing we're known for,” Williams says. “We try to let it be more multidisciplinary. If I am in the middle of a drawing, Phil and I will discuss what things we need more of. We both have sort of the same instincts when it comes to going on public domain archives and knowing what to look for. We fill each other's blind spots in that practice pretty well and find fun.”

Small Talk’s pieces go against the grain of an era plagued by fast fashion and industrial waste, opting for a process that’s labor-intensive and crafting apparel that’s sui generis and thought-provoking. If you’re looking for clothing that’s meaningful and indispensable, this is your destination.