The author and owner of more than 3000 vintage pieces from fashion houses such as Chanel and Dior, spent the past week in Dunedin for iD events and was "absolutely gobsmacked" by the experience.
"This is international quality," she said.
"People from around the world should be coming here.
"It's got nothing to do with the size of the town.
"It's got to do with the quality of what's offered for fashion." When she returns to her home in Australia she will be "spreading the word" about iD and what the city has to offer.
With her time limited, Smith hit Dunedin's vintage stores and bought "some fabulous pieces" for her collection. She hoped Dunedin residents and visitors would be inspired to find such shops and "try something new".
iD committee chairwoman Susie Staley said the event had been "very fortunate to secure high calibre international guests" such as Smith and Australian fashion designer Akira Isogawa and New Zealand designer Liz Mitchell.
Sponsored by the Dunedin City Council and the Caversham Foundation, the sold-out iD Dunedin Fashion shows attracted 3000 people, the iD International Emerging Designer Awards drew a crowd of more than 1200, and hundreds attended guest lectures by Smith and Isogawa.
"We know how important iD Dunedin Fashion Week is to the city and this year has been a resounding success," Ms Staley said.
It was difficult for the committee to put a dollar figure on the economic benefit of iD, but she believed about 40% of those attending events were from outside Dunedin.
The "significant media contingent", of more than 85 representatives from across New Zealand and Australia, also "put Dunedin on the map".
Thoughts had not turned to next year's event yet, but "money is always our issue".
"Plans are absolutely contingent on the sponsorship we can get," Ms Staley said.