“There’s a famine of beauty right now. And my eyes are starving for some beauty!” André Leon Talley.
André Leon Talley, the pioneering force and editor-at-large behind Vogue Magazine and others, has died. He was 73.
Talley, who rose to prominence from an impoverished childhood in the segregated South, became one of the few prestigious African American icons of haute couture and most distinctive personalities on the red carpets of the fashion world. Talley was born in Washington, D.C. in 1948 and shortly afterwards was raised by his grandmother, a cleaning woman at Duke University, in Durham, North Carolina, during Jim Crow. He then went on to Brown University, where he earned his master’s degree in French literature and initially had plans to teach French (TheWrap).
“I loved my home and my family. I went to school and to church and I did what I was told and I didn’t talk much. But I knew life was bigger than that. I wanted to meet Diana Vreeland and Andy Warhol and Naomi Sims and Pat Cleveland and Edie Sedgwick. And I did. And I never looked back” (The Chiffon Trenches: A Memoir).
Talley got his start in fashion with an unpaid internship to Diana Vreeland at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. Shortly afterward, Talley quickly became considered as the lionheart of the fashion world. It was then-on-after that he quickly soared, successfully creating a career as a writer, editor and tastemaker for magazines that included Interview Magazine, The New York Times, Vogue, Vanity Fair and even appearing on shows like America’s Next Top Model and more.
In addition to all his achievements, Talley served as creative director for Vogue until 1995 and then its editor-at-large from 1998 to 2013. Talley strongly influenced celebrities and politicians alike on emerging designers, such as in 2009 when Michelle Obama first wore the then unknown Jason Wu during the inauguration ceremony. He collaborated tirelessly with acclaimed photographers to solidify model newcomers Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Claudia Schiffer and more. It was Talley who reinforced to support new designers and advocated for diversity in the fashion industry. For much of his career, Talley was, as he once wrote, “the only black man among a sea of white titans of style” (Washington Post).
His contribution to the industry was incomparable. While watching The Gospel According to André, I was in awe of this giant icon, whom I thought I already somewhat knew through the media. His way of constantly shaking up the fashion world by storm was always cemented with his in-your-face-matter-of-fact knowledge and experience, and you could see it whether in interviews, live streams or his beautifully coated articles. His way of words were always to the point, but luscious and poetic and true.
It is with a great sadness and loss that Talley has passed away. His influence on fashion, which he desired to be in since he was a child is without question. He was the tour-de-France. He was the GOAT. He was the moment. He loved fashion and his community and he worked hard for his place. People loved his constant enthusiasm and the support he tirelessly gave, especially towards designers and their seasonal collections. He never took for granted his success within the industry. No contributor has ever been so encouraging. The love he gave to his peers and to fashion was beyond one’s weight in gold. He will be missed <3
-Natalia Ortonowska ©
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