
Fashion icon and former Vogue editor André Leon Talley has died at age 73, a assertion released on his formal Instagram verified late Tuesday.
“It is with great unhappiness we announce the passing of André Leon Talley on January 18, 2022 in New York,” the statement examine. “Mr. Talley was the larger-than-lifestyle, longtime imaginative director at Vogue throughout its rise to dominance as the world’s manner bible.”
The result in of his demise was not disclosed.
“Above the previous 5 decades as an intercontinental icon was a near confidant of Yves Saint Laurent, Karl Lagerfeld, Paloma Picasso and he experienced a penchant for finding, nurturing and celebrating younger designers. His byline appeared in Vainness Truthful, HG, Job interview, Ebony and Women’s Have on Day-to-day and he was the editor of Numero Russia,” the statement ongoing. “Mr. Talley wrote numerous books, which include Valentino, A.L.T.: A Memoir, A.L.T. 365+ and Minimal Black Gown for Assouline, and contributed to Valentino: At the Emperor’s Desk and Cartier Panthère. He was the issue of the documentary The Gospel According to André and his latest memoir, The Chiffon Trenches grew to become a New York Moments Finest Seller.”
Talley was an American fashion journalist acknowledged for his get the job done in shaping U.S. Vogue and trend as a complete. He was the magazine’s style information director from 1983 to 1987 and its artistic director from 1988 to 1995. He was later on designed editor-at-large, a posture he held till 2013.
Talley, who afterwards became the head of Numéro Russia journal, remained an occasional contributor to Vogue adhering to his departure as editor, and in 2019, wrote a piece honoring his late mate, designer Karl Lagerfeld, who died in February of that calendar year.
“In 2014, he was named creative director of Zappos Couture, and he has been on the Board of Trustees of Savannah Faculty of Artwork and Design and style due to the fact 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 long-standing member of Harlem’s Abyssinian Baptist Church.”
Apart from his contributions to Vogue, the 6-foot-6 star, regarded and beloved for his feeling of humor, honesty and loud, high-class personalized fashion — specially when it arrived to designer caftans — was an author, curator and Tv set identity. He starred in “America’s Future Prime Design” for four seasons, as a judge, made cameos on “Empire” and the initial “Sexual intercourse and the City” motion picture, dressed and profiled then-to start with girl Michelle Obama for Vogue, had a entrance row seat at the most prestigious couture displays about the environment, became the muse and confidant of a lot of designers — such as Oscar de la Renta, whom he curated a museum exhibition for in 2018 — and, for quite a few several years, was the ideal-hand man of fashion’s foremost girl: Anna Wintour.
In 2017, filmmaker Kate Novack unveiled a documentary, “The Gospel In accordance to Andre,” about the fashion legend — beginning from his humble upbringing to his rise to the top rated of the manner business.
All over his career, the Durham, North Carolina, native built attempts to introduce far more culturally varied voices into the overwhelmingly white style market and spoke out about his struggles with racism. In his 2020 e-book, “The Chiffon Trenches: A Memoir,” he recalled the emotion he felt when Edward Enninful was named the initially Black editor-in-main of British Vogue. That very same calendar year, Talley despatched shockwaves throughout the trend globe when he spoke out about the absence of Black talent at Vogue. “At one stage, I was the only Black individual on Anna’s workers,” he informed Mail On the net.
In his 2003 memoir, “A.L.T.,” Talley described his childhood in Durham, where by he was elevated by his grandmother and labored as a taxi driver to save revenue. When it was time for college or university, he enrolled in North Carolina Central College, in which he majored in French, and afterwards, acquired a scholarship to Brown University, for his master’s. Before long after graduating, Talley got his initial work in fashion as a volunteer assistant to Diana Vreeland at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. After within the style bubble, he landed a placement at Andy Warhol’s Job interview journal, wherever his occupation as a journalist took off, and afterwards moved close to to WWD, Vanity Truthful, Vogue and many other publications.
Talley experienced mainly stayed off social media since 2021, when he was concerned in a financial mess above the ownership of the Westchester mansion wherever he lived since 2004, and which beforehand belonged to the previous CEO of Manolo Blahnik.
Soon after listening to of his loss of life, fashion insiders and close friends have taken to social media to share their condolences and honor his memory.
“The decline of Andre is felt by so a lot of of us currently: the designers he enthusiastically cheered on every single period, and who cherished him for it the generations he inspired to operate in the business, seeing a determine who broke boundaries when never forgetting exactly where he begun from those people who understood trend, and Vogue, merely since of him and, not forgetting, the multitude of colleagues more than the yrs who ended up regularly buoyed by every new discovery of Andre’s, which he would talk about loudly, and volubly — no one particular could make individuals a lot more thrilled about the most seemingly insignificant trend specifics than him,” claimed Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour in a statement.
“Even his stream of vibrant faxes and e-mail were a hugely anticipated occasion, anything we all appeared forward to,” she continued. “Still it is the decline of Andre as my colleague and friend that I assume of now it’s immeasurable. He was spectacular and erudite and wickedly funny — mercurial, also. Like many a long time-lengthy interactions, there had been difficult times, but all I want to keep in mind currently, all I treatment about, is the brilliant and compassionate man who was a generous and loving buddy to me and to my loved ones for several, many years, and who we will all pass up so considerably.”
Designer Diane von Furstenberg wrote on Instagram, “Great bye darling André ❤️🙏… no one noticed the world in a extra glamorous way than you did ❤️🙏… no one particular was grander and a lot more soulful than you were ❤️🙏…the planet will be fewer joyfulI ❤️🙏 I have loved you and laughed with you for 45 years…. I skip your loud screams …I adore you soooo substantially ❤️🙏.”
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 good friend due to the fact my beginning. Our chats, the moments we shared….oh my friend. You and your passions ended up greater than daily life. I adore you and I will miss you pricey Andre. Relaxation In Peace.”
Lindsay Peoples Wagner, editor in main of The Cut, wrote on Instagram: “Not even certain how to wrap my brain about all you’ve done, and the legacy you have still left driving, 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 expertise and passion for fashion and glamour,” designer Bob Mackie wrote on Instagram. “You will be skipped.”
Hollywood and Broadway praised Talley as a guy who dressed himself and other people with a singular vision. “Relaxation well king,” Viola Davis wrote on Instagram.
Talley was a “genuinely initial heart, spirit and mind. He forged a large shadow and will not soon be overlooked,” author and actor Harvey Fierstein said on Twitter.
“For a small black homosexual boy who arrived at for the stars from the south there were couple individuals I could look up to up there amongst the stars who appeared like me just much more fab besides for you Andre,” playwright Jeremy O. Harris claimed on Twitter. “For a technology of boys Andre Leon Talley was a beacon of grace and aspiration. RIP.”
– ABC News’ Jacqueline Laurean Yates contributed to this report.