Talking with Travis Winkey, Baltimore's Black prince of fashion
BALTIMORE — There is a fashion icon living in Charm City.
His name is Travis Winkey and he has put on countless runway shows all over the world and has mentored thousands of models.
WJZ visited the studio where Travis Winkey became Baltimore's Black Prince of Fashion.
"I did my first fashion show in my backyard when I was 10 years old," Winkey said. "I used to get all the kids in the neighborhood."
Travis was born and raised in Baltimore and started his own fashion troupe when he was a teenager.
In the '70s, he bought his studio where he's trained hundreds of models.
He's a well-known fixture in the fashion world because he developed his own runway modeling technique
"Basically it's built around posture and confidence and being able to create that swag or that something's that's very prestigious when you walk into a room," Winkey said.
He's also known for his runway shows.
"First we started doing shows in Baltimore," Winkey said. "Then we started doing them in the counties and then I started doing them in New Jersey. Then our name started flying and before you know it we're doing stuff everywhere."
His shows have taken him and his models all over the world.
Chyna Allen is one of Travis' students.
"When I walked in here that day for the first rehearsal, I was amazed by how many models," Allen said. "Like tall, beautiful models, some of them had come from as far as Atlanta, Florida, all over to do this fashion show."
She met him 20 years ago.
"I did all kinds of magazines and stuff because Travis knew people and people knew Travis," Allen said.
Throughout the course of his career, Travis has made a lot of famous friends. From Quincy Jones to Stevie Wonder, Patti LaBelle and Muhammad Ali. Ali was actually the one who gave Travis his nickname, "The Prince of Fashion."
Travis has also been recognized by mayors and governors.
"I mean he's a guy from Baltimore who has done shows in Paris and Milan," Travis' manager Dwight Williams said. "He's known more outside than he is here."
Travis said he will always live in Baltimore.
"I talk to people and they say, 'Why are you living in Baltimore?'" Winkey said. "'Why are you doing this? Why are you doing that?' I love Baltimore."
He loves Baltimore and loves to give back to his community.
Travis tell us outside of the runways and fine fashion, what he's most proud of is how far some of his students have gone, winning major pageants and even starting their own businesses.
"When I say Travis saved lives, he actually saved lives," Allen said. "I would honestly say if it wasn't for him to help me build my self-esteem, I probably wouldn't be sitting here talking about it now."
Travis is still giving back and plans to never stop. He hosts master classes and still mentors models.
"I was determined that I was going to just do fashion and that's what I've been doing for 50 years," Winkey said.
