B. Smith, Fashion And Beauty Icon Passes Away At 70

Source: Barbara Alper / Getty

For decades, Barbara Smith or B. Smith as she was affectionately known stood as a titan for black entrepreneurship, modeling and more. When she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, she, her husband Dan Gasby and daughter Dana continued to tell her story and keep her brand alive.

Sadly, B. Smith passed away on Saturday night in the family’s Long Island home. She was 70.

Gasby announced the death of the groundbreaking model, restaurant owner and lifestyle guru saying, “It is with great sadness that my daughter Dana and I announce the passing of my wife, Barbara Elaine Smith.”

Beginning as a model in the 1960s, she later signed to Wilhelmina and in 1976 became the first black woman to be featured on a cover of Mademoiselle.

Source: Albert Watson / Getty

The grind did not stop for Smith as she went on to open three of her popular B. Smith restaurants, two of which are in New York (New York City and Long Island) and a third in Washington D.C.

She grew her empire even more with the launch of B. Smith Style, a television and lifestyle show that hosted some of entertainment’s best such as Gladys Knight and more.

RELATED: Living With Alzheimer’s: B. Smith & Husband Dan Gasby Share Their Inspiring Story

[ione_media_gallery id=”96843″ overlay=”true”]

The Latest:

• God Will Send Your Tribe: Adia’s Love Talk On Real Friends, Mentors And Making Room For Others
• Money Monday With Jini Thornton: Your Midyear Money Checkup Starts Now
• Adia’s Faith Walk: When God Blesses You So Big All You Can Say Is “It’s A Lot”
• After Brain Surgery, Leonard Bailey Pens Testimony Anthem “Thankful Grateful”
• Jonathan Nelson’s Thoughts: New Single “When I Think, I Thank” Was Written For Your Choir Too
• Jonathan Nelson’s Faith Walk: Why Every Creative Needs Spiritual Covering
• Sybil Wilkes Covers Today's What We Need to Know: Black Unemployment, SNAP Changes, Politics, and More
• Insurance Is the Wealth Protector | Dr. Willie Jolley
• Saturday Night Live Gospel Song of the Night
• Star Trek Star Nichelle Nichols’ Family Wins $13 Million In Wrongful Death Lawsuit

B. Smith, Lifestyle Guru And Famed Style Expert Passes Away At 70 was originally published on myhoustonmajic.com