The latest: Family confirms passing of fashion and television icon Toukie Smith
November 9, 2026.
Toukie Smith, the magnetic fashion model whose incandescent presence helped redefine European couture runways in the 1970s before she captivated American television viewers on NBC’s beloved comedy 227, has passed away at the age of 74.
Her passing at a hospital in New York was confirmed in a public tribute by her twin sons, Julian Henry De Niro and Airyn Kendrick De Niro, who stated that their mother died following a long and valiant struggle with multiple sclerosis. Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro, her partner from 1988 to 1996 and father of their children, joined her family in mourning, praising her extraordinary warmth, artistic vitality, and indomitable courage.
"Our mother lived her life with boundless joy, elegance, and fierce pride," her sons said in a statement. "She broke barriers with laughter and style, showing generations of Black women that beauty, power, and humor belong at the center of the world stage."
Breaking barriers on European runways and defining the WilliWear era
Born Doris Smith in Philadelphia in 1952, she earned the affectionate childhood nickname "Toukie" from her grandmother after the sound of passing locomotives. She came of age alongside her older brother, the legendary designer Willi Smith, who would pioneer modern, democratic streetwear in America through his brand WilliWear Ltd.
In the early 1970s, Toukie Smith shattered entrenched racial boundaries in international haute couture. At a time when luxury fashion houses rarely cast Black women, Smith strode the runways of Paris and Milan for Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, Gianni Versace, Issey Miyake, Norma Kamali, and Geoffrey Beene. Known for her radiant smile, expressive theatricality, and graceful kinetic walk, she transformed fashion shows from rigid displays into vibrant performance art. In 1978, Bloomingdale’s named her its Model of the Year, plastering her face across Madison Avenue.
When Willi Smith died tragically of AIDS-related complications in 1987 at age 39, Toukie devoted herself to preserving his creative legacy and advocating for arts education in urban communities.
Transition to television: NBC's '227' and Manhattan hospitality
Turning her expressive talents toward acting, Smith joined the cast of NBC’s smash-hit sitcom 227 in 1989 as Eva Rawley, a bubbly, fashionable beauty-shop entrepreneur who shook up the Washington, D.C. apartment building alongside Marla Gibbs, Jackée Harry, and Regina King. Her comedic timing and irrepressible charm made Eva an immediate fan favorite during the show's final season.
Smith expanded into feature films, delivering memorable appearances in Me and Him (1988), the urban comedy Talkin' Dirty After Dark (1991), I Like It Like That (1994), and Penny Marshall’s holiday classic The Preacher's Wife (1996) starring Whitney Houston and Denzel Washington.
In the 1990s, Smith also became a fixture of New York’s cultural nightlife, opening "Toukie's," an acclaimed soul-food bistro in Greenwich Village where writers, jazz musicians, actors, and neighborhood locals gathered over Southern delicacies and live music.
Memorial arrangements and foundation tributes
Details regarding public and private commemorations in New York and Philadelphia:
- Private funeral: A private memorial service for immediate family and close friends will be held in Manhattan later this week.
- Public celebration of life: The family announced that plans for a public celebration of her life and cultural contributions will be scheduled in early 2027 in New York City.
- Charitable donations: In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorial tributes and donations be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society or the Willi Smith Fashion Foundation.
