Etta Froio, WWD editor for 54 years, honoured at New York memorial

Friends, family and former colleagues gathered in New York on Thursday to celebrate the life and legacy of Etta Froio, former executive editor of WWD, the US fashion trade publication. She died on 11 June at age 94. The memorial service was held at the Frank E. Campbell funeral chapel at 1076 Madison Avenue WWD.

Those present included Ed Nardoza, Bridget Foley, Isaac Mizrahi, Joe Boitano and Jaqui Lividini. Family members sat alongside colleagues from across her long career in fashion publishing. The gathering was described as a celebration of her life and work.

Froio died in New Jersey WWD. She chronicled 54 years of style as a WWD editor. She retired in 2012, after a career that spanned more than five decades on the fashion beat.

Her publishing roles crossed titles and management. She was former executive editor of WWD and former executive editor of W, the fashion magazine. She was also former senior vice president, executive editor and associate publisher of Fairchild Publications, the parent company of WWD.

At the time of her death, she held the title of contributing senior executive editor at WWD WWD. The title reflected a continuing connection to the publication after retirement. It is a senior editorial role, concerned with coverage and standards rather than day-to-day management.

Tributes after her death described her as a brilliant fashion leader and as a pioneer of fashion journalism WWD. Designers and executives remembered her fondly. Colleagues pointed to three qualities in particular.

The first was knowledge, built over decades of reporting on designers, manufacturers and retailers. The second was clever wit. The third was grace under pressure.

She was 94. For those who worked with her, the memorial was a chance to honour that working history in person.