How long have you been at Q? It’s been 22 years! I started as a model in January 1991.
What was the process to become a model then & is it still the same today? It’s funny because I met a model at a fashion show I was doing, & she told me who to call. My contact at Q was one of the producers. I called him, and after a few minutes of chatting, he wanted to meet me. When I came in for the meeting, he said “this where you’ll model, this is where you’ll change. I’ll call when we need you.” And that was it! Of course, the process is very different now. Today you have to have an agent & go through training, etc...
Where did you grow up? Delaware County & South Jersey.
Where did you go to school & what was your first job out of college? I went to Neuman College which is now Neuman University, where I majored in Communications. One day my work study boss from Neuman called & said she had a job that might interest me. It was for an Audio/Visual Services Specialist at Philadelphia Textile, now Philadelphia University.
When did you start modeling? I actually got into modeling around the same time as I began work with Philadelphia University. In fact while I was modeling for QVC, I was doing double-duty at the University.
How did your A/V Specialist position & being a model help prepare you for the face of Quacker Factory? First, I love that I know what’s going on behind the scenes. My A/V position was instrumental in prepping me for the anything I would encounter behind the cameras. Of course, modeling gave me the opportunity to learn about being in front of the cameras, the different fashion brands as well as being able to hone my sense of style. And along the way, I became a fashion stylist, a fit model & a fashion show coordinator/ commentator. All of that…led me to this!
How did you meet Jeanne Bice? At QVC. I don’t remember my first encounter; but, I started modeling for QF here & there. At one point Jeanne was having a big party in Florida to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Quacker Factory Show. She invited all the models who worked for her; but, I was the only one who went. My sister & I flew down to join the party (at our own expense, of course) & that really impressed Jeanne. So, the next morning she invited us to come for lunch at her house. When we got there, to my surprise, she wasn’t wearing her headband (Angel laughs)! I feel like I was one of the privileged people to have seen her without her headband! From that point on we began to develop a strong friendship, which led to my becoming her make-up artist & then, ultimately, a job with the design team. (On a side note: As I began working more for Jeanne, the less time I had for modeling on Q, I had no idea what I was being prepared for just a few short years down the road!)
What has your journey been like since Jeanne’s passing? It will be 2 years in June. I never thought she would pass as suddenly as she did. I would always tell her she would live a whole lot longer than any of us. Unfortunately, she did die, and we all had to deal with & handle it somehow. Believe me, I would rather her still be alive giving me a hard time! Over the past 2 years, I have a new-found respect for the business she built. She was and, still is, an icon! We’ve had to continue on with her business, her legacy & honor her as best we can. I also have tremendous respect for the sisterhood she built called the “Quackers”. I am honored to be able to continue that sisterhood & am so happy they (the “Quackers”) have accepted me as the face of Quacker Factory.
Speaking of coming into your own & being the face of QF,you won the 2012 Q Star Guest Excellence Award! Yes! I felt like I got an Oscar! First of all, I couldn’t believe I was even nominated by my peers at Q. And I really couldn’t believe I won the award. It was a huge, huge honor!
Anything you want to share about your personal life: I love to travel!
What are your favorite places? Montreal, Chicago & the Caribbean. But, Glen & I are hoping to go to Italy soon. I was there in 1996. I really want to show him how beautiful Italy is & how amazing the people, food & wine are.
Anything else you like to do in your spare time besides travel? Scrapbooking & riding motorcycles. My very 1st motorcycle ride was 3 yrs ago with Glen. I don’t want to learn how to ride; (laughs) I just want to be a passenger!
Do you have any sibs? 3 sisters. 2 older, 1 younger. I also have 6 nephews, 4 great nephews, & 2 great nieces! They are delicious! I talk a lot about Ben & Alex on air because I spend a lot of time with them. They’re my younger sisters’ boys. I help my little sister, Vicky, a lot since our mom passed away 10 years ago.
Your mom passed away. Did you have a good/close relationship? Absolutely, yes!
What was one of the biggest lessons she taught you? (My side note: Angel paused as she welled up with tears and emotion. I was honored to be a part of such a holy moment as she remembers her mom.) She taught me to be confident in myself. That no matter what I looked like, it didn’t matter. And I turned it (my plus size figure) into a career! So, I would pass this on to the plus size girls: Be confident in who you are!
What has changed with Quacker Factory over the past few years or are you staying true to Jeanne’s vision? We’re staying true to Jeanne’s vision. This is what our customer requires of us. But because everyone loves the DreamJeannes so much, we are trying some new things this year like the DreamKnit. It’s a very flowy, soft, gorgeous fabrication. We will continue to stay true to the whimsy, the fun, the embroidery, & the sparkle & shine about which Jeanne was so passionate.
I feel like there are a lot of closet “Quackers” who haven’t taken the plunge yet. What would you say to say to her? I have a lot of people write & say they haven’t purchased, but they like watching me. And what I always say is: “One day, we’re gonna get ya!” (laughs) My recommendation would be to start off with one of our lighter (in terms of embellishment) or popular items like the grommet T-shirt detail or the 1x1 ribbed mini sequin top . They’re really hot items & work no matter what your style.
So, are you going to get her with the TSV? (laughs) I certainly hope so!
Why? We took our grommet tee& incorporated the detailing into the TSV in gold vs. silvertone, which is different for us. We also inlaid stones for added detail. The fabric is amazing & the colors are spot-on! Our girls have been asking for the 4-piece wardrober we used to do. So for the TSV we’ve designed several pieces that go along with it so she can build her own wardrobe!
Where can we reach you and join the “Quacker” sisterhood? Angel Smedley QVC FB or Angel@QuackerFactory.com.
Thank you so much for spending time with me, Angel. I loved getting to know you even better. It’s easy to see why the sisterhood has accepted and opened their arms to you! Thank you, Nancy
Join Angel Smedley for Quacker Factory on March 14th from Midnight – 1 AM, 3 – 4 AM, 11 AM – Noon, and 3 – 4 PM ET.
Shop the entire Quacker Factory collection on QVC.com