Vogue icon and previous Vogue editor André Leon Talley has died at age 73, a statement released on his official Instagram confirmed late Tuesday.
“It is with good unhappiness we announce the passing of André Leon Talley on January 18, 2022 in New York,” the assertion browse. “Mr. Talley was the bigger-than-daily life, longtime creative director at Vogue during its rise to dominance as the world’s fashion bible.”
The lead to of his loss of life was not disclosed.
“More than the earlier 5 decades as an intercontinental icon was a close confidant of Yves Saint Laurent, Karl Lagerfeld, Paloma Picasso and he experienced a penchant for identifying, nurturing and celebrating young designers. His byline appeared in Vainness Good, HG, Job interview, Ebony and Women’s Don Daily and he was the editor of Numero Russia,” the assertion continued. “Mr. Talley wrote a number of textbooks, including Valentino, A.L.T.: A Memoir, A.L.T. 365+ and Little Black Costume for Assouline, and contributed to Valentino: At the Emperor’s Desk and Cartier Panthère. He was the matter of the documentary The Gospel In accordance to André and his current memoir, The Chiffon Trenches became a New York Instances Ideal Vendor.”
Talley was an American style journalist regarded for his perform in shaping U.S. Vogue and trend as a full. He was the magazine’s manner news director from 1983 to 1987 and its imaginative director from 1988 to 1995. He was afterwards made editor-at-big, a position he held until eventually 2013.
Talley, who later became the head of Numéro Russia magazine, remained an occasional contributor to Vogue following his departure as editor, and in 2019, wrote a piece honoring his late buddy, designer Karl Lagerfeld, who died in February of that year.
“In 2014, he was named inventive director of Zappos Couture, and he has been on the Board of Trustees of Savannah Faculty of Art and Design and style considering the fact that 2000,” in accordance to the statement on his Instagram. “Mr. Talley was awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French Republic in 2020 and the North Carolina Governor’s award for literature in 2021. He was a extensive-standing member of Harlem’s Abyssinian Baptist Church.”
Aside from his contributions to Vogue, the six-foot-6 star, identified and cherished for his feeling of humor, honesty and loud, high-class personalized fashion — in particular when it came to designer caftans — was an author, curator and Television set character. He starred in “America’s Following Best Product” for four seasons, as a judge, designed cameos on “Empire” and the first “Intercourse and the Metropolis” movie, dressed and profiled then-to start with woman Michelle Obama for Vogue, experienced a front row seat at the most prestigious couture reveals all-around the earth, grew to become the muse and confidant of many designers — which includes Oscar de la Renta, whom he curated a museum exhibition for in 2018 — and, for lots of years, was the proper-hand person of fashion’s leading woman: Anna Wintour.
In 2017, filmmaker Kate Novack introduced a documentary, “The Gospel According to Andre,” about the fashion legend — starting from his humble upbringing to his rise to the top rated of the vogue market.
During his vocation, the Durham, North Carolina, indigenous produced endeavours to introduce more culturally diverse voices into the overwhelmingly white vogue sector and spoke out about his struggles with racism. In his 2020 book, “The Chiffon Trenches: A Memoir,” he recalled the emotion he felt when Edward Enninful was named the initial Black editor-in-chief of British Vogue. That same calendar year, Talley despatched shockwaves across the vogue world when he spoke out about the absence of Black talent at Vogue. “At a person position, I was the only Black man or woman on Anna’s staff members,” he advised Mail Online.
In his 2003 memoir, “A.L.T.,” Talley explained his childhood in Durham, where by he was elevated by his grandmother and labored as a taxi driver to help you save cash. When it was time for college or university, he enrolled in North Carolina Central College, where by he majored in French, and afterwards, acquired a scholarship to Brown University, for his master’s. Shortly just after graduating, Talley received his 1st work in fashion as a volunteer assistant to Diana Vreeland at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. When inside of the fashion bubble, he landed a place at Andy Warhol’s Job interview magazine, in which his occupation as a journalist took off, and later on moved all-around to WWD, Vainness Truthful, Vogue and several other publications.
Talley experienced mostly stayed off social media since 2021, when he was concerned in a money mess in excess of the possession of the Westchester mansion the place he lived since 2004, and which beforehand belonged to the former CEO of Manolo Blahnik.
Just after listening to of his dying, manner insiders and pals have taken to social media to share their condolences and honor his memory.
“The reduction of Andre is felt by so several of us right now: the designers he enthusiastically cheered on each and every season, and who beloved him for it the generations he motivated to work in the market, viewing a figure who broke boundaries though under no circumstances forgetting the place he began from those who knew manner, and Vogue, simply just for the reason that of him and, not forgetting, the multitude of colleagues around the many years who have been continually buoyed by each new discovery of Andre’s, which he would focus on loudly, and volubly — no 1 could make people extra psyched about the most seemingly insignificant fashion specifics than him,” stated Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour in a assertion.
“Even his stream of colourful faxes and e-mails had been a hugely anticipated event, one thing we all appeared forward to,” she ongoing. “Yet it is the decline of Andre as my colleague and good friend that I assume of now it is immeasurable. He was impressive and erudite and wickedly amusing — mercurial, as well. Like a lot of many years-lengthy interactions, there were being difficult moments, but all I want to remember nowadays, all I treatment about, is the excellent and compassionate man who was a generous and loving good friend to me and to my household for quite a few, quite a few years, and who we will all miss so a lot.”
Designer Diane von Furstenberg wrote on Instagram, “Superior bye darling André ❤️🙏… no a single noticed the environment in a more glamorous way than you did ❤️🙏… no 1 was grander and much more soulful than you have been ❤️🙏…the earth will be less joyfulI ❤️🙏 I have beloved you and laughed with you for 45 years…. I miss out on your loud screams …I enjoy you soooo significantly ❤️🙏.”
Marc Jacobs posted a throwback photograph of himself with Talley on Instagram, and wrote in the caption, “I am in shock. You championed me and you have been my mate given that my starting. Our chats, the moments we shared….oh my close friend. You and your passions were larger than life. I appreciate you and I will overlook you pricey Andre. Rest In Peace.”
Lindsay Peoples Wagner, editor in chief of The Lower, wrote on Instagram: “Not even absolutely sure how to wrap my thoughts all-around all you’ve got finished, and the legacy you’ve remaining guiding, but you gave us hope and aspirations that we hardly ever would have dreamed if it hadn’t been for you andre.”
“Thank you for your information and passion for style and glamour,” designer Bob Mackie wrote on Instagram. “You will be skipped.”
Hollywood and Broadway praised Talley as a male who dressed himself and other individuals with a singular eyesight. “Relaxation nicely king,” Viola Davis wrote on Instagram.
Talley was a “definitely primary heart, spirit and brain. He solid a giant shadow and will not soon be neglected,” writer and actor Harvey Fierstein claimed on Twitter.
“For a small black homosexual boy who achieved for the stars from the south there ended up number of individuals I could search up to up there amongst the stars who looked like me just extra fab apart from for you Andre,” playwright Jeremy O. Harris claimed on Twitter. “For a generation of boys Andre Leon Talley was a beacon of grace and aspiration. RIP.”
– ABC News’ Jacqueline Laurean Yates contributed to this report.
