As a teen, he became interested in skateboard culture[6] soccer and music, and would drive to Santa Barbara and Los Angeles to attend concerts and DJ sets.
[7][11] In 2007, Kanye West's stylist asked Williams to design a jacket for his Grammy Awards performance with Daft Punk.
[7] In 2012, ties with West led to the formation of the art and DJing collective Been Trill — made up of Heron Preston, Virgil Abloh, Justin Saunders and Williams, who describes it as "really just a fun thing to do.
[7] Through his label 1017 Alyx 9SM, Williams soon began collaborating with international brands including Dior, Nike, Moncler, Bang & Olufsen, and Mackintosh.
[14] At Dior, Kim Jones, the artistic director for men's wear, invited Williams to collaborate on accessories for the Spring-Summer 2019 collection.
[15] Williams brought his brutalist industrial aesthetic to selected pieces through a utility buckle inspired by a rollercoaster ride at Six Flags amusement park.