Biography

Shayla Simpson is best known for the 16 years she spent first as a model and then as the commentator of the Ebony Fashion Fair, the world's largest touring fashion show. The show traveled to 200 cities annually on a 9 month national and international tour that included  the USA, Canada, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Jamaica, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands for a span of 51 years. The show featured a million dollar collection of the finest couture fashions in the world with a cast of 12 predominantly African American models and raised a million dollars annually for various charities.  

Shayla is a native of Washington, DC. Fashion and beauty have always been a part of her life as her mother taught her to sew at an early age. At 16, while in high school, she also attended finishing school at Patricia Stevens Career College followed by courses in professional modeling. Upon graduation she left Washington for college in Texas. She holds a B.S. in Education for a double major in Spanish and History from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. She spent two of her four college years in a foreign studies program at the University of Madrid, Spain. She is a committed consummate professional who demonstrates a track record of providing quality service in a highly competitive environment. 

Upon her return to Washington, she secured a position as the assistant to the Manager of Public Relations at WRC-TV, the NBC affiliate station. A position as a bi-lingual agent for Pan American Airlines followed and facilitated continued international travel. The opportunity to model in area shows was presented so Shayla returned to her fashion roots and resumed her modeling career concurrent with her job. On a visit to Chicago and tour of the Ebony corporate offices, an executive encouraged her to apply as a model for the Ebony Fashion Fair. 

Hired first as a model, just one month later, Shayla became an assistant commentator and by the end of her first tour Mrs. Eunice W. Johnson, producer and director, invited her to travel to Europe to be photographed in couture fashions for an Ebony layout and to attend the couture fashion collections as a buyer.  

By the end of her second year Shayla was officially named the show's commentator and her career flourished for another 14 years. Her responsibilities included traveling to Europe to attend the couture and pret a porter fashion collections twice a year with Mrs. Johnson to select and purchase the fashions, coordinating and choreographing the show, assisting in the selection of the models, training the models, teaching them stage make-up, working with the music director to coordinate the music, writing her script, being the spokesperson for television, radio and print interviews and managing the models as they traveled to 200 cities on a nine month tour.  

As a model photographed by world famous photographers including Scavulo and Skrebneski, she refined her technique in make-up artistry. As a result, she made annual guest appearances for Fashion Fair Cosmetics in over 100 department stores, both nationally and internationally. She provided strategic direction for cosmetic campaigns, as well as coordinated and directed photography sessions for ads, EBONY magazine covers, fashion layouts, television appearances, videos and commercials.

Shayla's inimitable style of commentating a 2-hour show before a live audience without the use of notes kept her in he coveted spotlight and made her an interesting subject for media interviews. As the show's spokesperson, she was interviewed annually for 14 years on Good Morning America and LIVE with Regis and Kathy Lee as she presented the best of the new fashions and trends for the year. Donahue devoted his entire hour to the show and appearances on AM Chicago with Oprah and others contributed to the show's eminent success.

As the show toured, media coverage kept Shayla's name on the evening news and in the morning newspaper, in addition to weekly appearances in Jet Magazine and ads in Ebony. As a result of her popularity she has met over 350 babies who were named "Shayla" in her honor. 

The Ebony Fashion Fair was more than a "dream job."  It was a lifestyle. Twice a year she flew on the Concorde to and from Europe to attend the couture and pret-a-porter shows in Paris, Rome, Milan, London and then to New York to purchase  the fashions and  coordinate the photo shoots for Ebony Magazine and the show program. Mr. John H. Johnson, CEO and Publisher of Ebony Magazine explained that her responsibility was to spare no cost to purchase the "best" new fashions in the world every year and put together a "hit" show. She didn't disappoint.  

In her 14 years as the commentator, the show grew to visit 200 cities and became the "show to see" not only in the African American community, but also as an evening of total entertainment for all.  

Shayla Simpson knows what it means to work with dedication and perseverance. Her career attests to her multi-talented credentials. She founded Shayla Simpson Productions, Inc. (SSP), a Special Events and Fashion Show Production Company in 1991.

REVLON, one of her leading clients for seven years, utilized her consulting services for show coordination, fashion styling and model casting. As a model and casting agent, she provided REVLON Professional with many of the faces that graced their national hair advertising campaigns and product packages. 

SSP had the distinguished honor of producing, directing and designing the 16th Annual CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS Spouses Fashion Show in Washington, D.C. for 10,000 guests in attendance of two performances. 

As a commentator, Shayla had the privilege of serving as Mistress of Ceremonies for the Miss Black USA pageant in Washington, DC for three years. She served first as the host, and then for nine years she directed the Miss World British Virgin Islands Pageant in Tortola, BVI, the preliminary to the Miss World Contest. 

She also hosted the International Designer of the Year competition in the Bahamas and Miss Model International in both Martinique and Sint Maarten for over 50 contestants from around the world. 

The General Service Administration, Interior Department and Housing and Urban Development in Washington, D.C.  also called on her for image consulting to conduct seminars on Personal and Professional Development for their new employees. 

For 51 years the Ebony Fashion Fair was an institution in Fashion. Over 500 models graced the Ebony Fashion Fair runway over the years and created the Legacy that was a special event in African American society. Alumni, comprised of former models, stylists, musicians and staff have come together to support the next generation of fashion industry students with mentorship programs and scholarships through The Fashion Legacy Association for Industry Recognition, F.L.A.I.R, a 501 (c) 3 organization.  Shayla is a founding Board Member.

Shayla is married to former professional football player Ross Browner. They have two sons, Rylan Browner and Max Starks.