Designers and executives fondly remembered Etta Froio, former senior vice president, executive editor and associate publisher of Fairchild Publications, parent of WWD, for her fashion knowledge, clever wit and grace under pressure. Froio was also praised by colleagues for her kindness, patience, ability to teach her staff and successfully manage a frenetic newsroom with an extremely calm demeanor. Froio died early Thursday in Shewsbury, N.J. at age 94.
Here’s what people had to say:
Ralph Lauren
“What I remember most about Etta was what a real journalist she was. She brought a rare kind of integrity to the world of fashion. She was there on the front row of so many of my early shows and came back as a special guest long after she retired. From the very beginning she was a genuine supporter of the personal style I believed in. She was a great writer with a strong voice but had a genuine humility and a class that came from the things she valued. I always had tremendous respect for her. I always will.”
Calvin Klein
