b'Since 1982, The Ground Crew has worked forD N E G E L N O I H S A Fsome of fashions top designers, includingGiorgio Armani, Jason Wu, Donna Karan,Victorias Secret, Calvin Klein, Ferragamo,Michael Kors, Kanye West, Stephen Burrows,and Vera Wang, among others. Celebritiessuch as Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, andJackie Joyner Kersey have also enlisted theoutfits talents. Smaltz herself has worked with numerousmajor corporations, among them, Macys,Saks Fifth Avenue, Vogue, BlackEntertainment Television, Kmart. She was acontributing editor to Vogue, Mirabella, andMode magazines and a board member of theBlack FashionMuseum, Dress for SuccessWorldwide, the Gracie Mansion Conservancy,and Fashion Group International, and BRAG.She has also appeared on QVC, OprahWinfrey and the Today Show, just to name afew. In the fickle world of fashion, Smaltz hasproven her staying power time and timeShe also had a knack for turning adversity into opportunity. again. More than a polished fashionista, sheAs Ebony magazines fashion reporter, she was often stuck possesses business acumen andin bad seats- or offered no seat at all- at European fashion adaptability that are as sharp as her style.shows. Undaunted, she went backstage to inspect the Her revolutionary approach paves the wayclothes, and seeing the chaos behind the scenes, she for other enterprising fashion entrepreneurs,recognized an immediate need in the fashion industry. In as well as giving inspiring makeup artists1977 she started The Ground Crew, a management team that and stylist invaluable exposure. Equallyhandles every detail of backstage operations, including important, it brings much needed order anddressing the models to perfection. The name, The Ground grace to an often- chaotic industry. After all,Crew, is inspired by an1964 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance as Smaltz and her indispensable Groundspeech from Martin Luther King in which he states Every Crew have demonstrated, beauty beginstime I take a flight, I am always reminded of the people who behind the seams.make a successful journey possible- the known pilots and theunknown ground crew.You honor the ground crew withoutwhose labor and sacrifices the jets flights to freedom couldnever have left the earth.'