There are only a few people in the fashion industry that I want to meet today who are on my "to do list" before I leave this earth and I most definitely want to meet Audrey Smaltz because this woman, along with Andre Leon Talley are walking encyclopedias of the fashion industry.
For years the glamorous Audrey Smaltz, was a commentator for the EBONY FASHION FAIR traveling fashion show. There she sat high on her stool on that stage and began and ended the show with a flourish. You'd have to be there to listen to her commentary to witness it. I had my first experience listening to her diction as she discribe the couture worn during my first show while living in Texas and left there feeling that I had left an YSL showing or some other exclusive fashion showing. I was hooked and tried to attend as many FF Shows regardless of where I was living.
Historically, Mrs. Johnson brought couture to us in a way like no other. Now in the age of technology we can view live shows on our computers, yet Mrs. Johnson had already done that and all we had to do was buy a ticket. Audrey and Mrs. Johnson were also part of the front-row fixtures at many couture showings as Mrs. Johnson picked out the best designs to bring to us the best from Paris, Milan, New York and London.
Audrey worked as a model in her earlier years and was the first black woman allowed to participate in the Miss New York contest, that eventually became the Miss America pageant. Audrey was Mrs. Johnson's right-hand when it came to reviewing collections because of her discerning eye for style. Audrey has shown that there is life after the runway because she now helms The Ground Crew, which is a NYC based company that provides behind-the-scenes support services to fashion shows, ranging from seamstresses, to assistants who unpack and steam clothing, to dressers who change the models during fashion shows.
I Salute you Audrey Smaltz for Being an inspiration.
