"Every Inch a Lady": A book talk with Audrey Smaltz
Before the runway, there is backstage, and for decades, Audrey Smaltz has been the one guiding it.
Join The Fashion and Race Database® for a live conversation with Audrey Smaltz about her new memoir, Every Inch a Lady: My Amazing Journey from Dear Harlem to Haute Couture and Beyond (Amistad, 2026), written with Alina Mitchell, with a foreword by Michael Kors.
Audrey grew up in Harlem and was modeling for New York designers as a teenager. She went on to become a commentator for the Ebony Fashion Fair, and in 1977 she founded The Ground Crew, the backstage team behind decades of runway shows for designers including Stephen Burrows, Donna Karan, and Vera Wang.
Our founder, Kimberly M. Jenkins, will moderate a 45-minute conversation in four parts:
Harlem and the title. The Harlem River Houses, Mrs. DeVore's School of Charm, and where "Every Inch a Lady" comes from.
Ebony Fashion Fair. Eunice Johnson, the commentary, the European trips, and bringing Black designers onto the runway.
The Ground Crew. The Dr. King line behind the name, building the business, and four decades backstage.
Influence and legacy. The supermodels, the mentorship, and how the book came together.
Each part closes with one of Audrey's "Inches of Wisdom." Audience Q&A follows, so send in your question for Audrey when you register (we will do our best to have it included).
Saturday, October 10, 2026 · 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM ET (4:00 PM London)
Live on Zoom. Your link comes with your registration.
Sliding scale tickets, $5 to $25. Pay what works for you. Proceeds support The Fashion and Race Database®, an independent education platform and research archive on fashion, diversity, and history.
Get the book: https://bookshop.org/a/95729/9780063452695
This conversation is part of our October theme, Race and Image Making.