André Leon Talley: A Pioneer In Fashion Journalism
Talley for UGG “Feel” Campaign in 2021
Source: HYPEBEAST
On Tuesday, the fashion industry lost yet another icon and pioneer in fashion journalism. André Leon Talley passed away at 73 years old from complications due to COVID-19. Talley will continue to be remembered as one of the most influential voices in fashion journalism and an inspirational force to the industry as a whole.
Talley was not only a fashion journalist, but he also worked as a stylist, and most notably, for Vogue. His first position at Vogue was as the magazine's Fashion News Director, which he held from 1983 to 1987. Talley then went on to be Vogue’s first African-American male Creative Director from 1988 to 1995, and ultimately, the Editor-at-large from 1998 to 2013.
ALT was born on October 16, 1948, in Washington, D.C. He was raised by his maternal grandmother, Bennie Francis Davis, in Durham, North Carolina. Talley grew up in the Jim Crow South, where segregation laws were heavily enforced. He graduated from North Carolina Central University in 1970, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in French Literature. He then studied at Brown University after attending on a scholarship and graduated with a Master of Arts in French Literature in 1972. Later on in 1974, Talley got his big break in the fashion industry by apprenticing for former Vogue editor Diana Vreeland at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Through the apprenticeship, Vreeland landed him a job at Andy Warhol’s Factory and Interview Magazine (run by Warhol at the time), where his work was first published.
André Leon Talley and Mentor Diana Vreeland in 1974
Source: The Guardian
André went on to work at several other publications such as Women's Wear Daily, W Magazine, and The New York Times before finally landing at Vogue. In 1984 he co-wrote the book MegaStar with Richard Bernstein, with an introduction by Paloma Picasso. In 1995 he swapped his role as Creative Director at Vogue for a Contributing Editor position, allowing him to move to Paris to work for W Magazine. Then in 1998, he returned to Vogue as the Editor-at-large until he left in 2013. He authored an autobiography titled A.L.T.: A Memoir, published by Villard in 2003, and two years later he wrote A.L.T. 365+, an art monograph designed by art director Sam Shahid, which featured photos and captions from a year of Talley's life. In 2020, Talley released The Chiffon Trenches: A Memoir. In the memoir, he discusses getting his start in New York City in the 1970s, his relationship with Anna Wintour, and his experiences with racism in the fashion world.
His role in the industry gave him the opportunity to work and become close friends with other icons and designers in the industry such as Karl Lagerfeld, Diane Von Furstenburg, and of course, Anna Wintour. Talley was also involved in numerous documentaries and TV shows including Empire and America’s Next Top Model, where he was a judge from 2010 to 2011. He made an iconic cameo in the 2008 Sex and The City film and was featured in both The September Issue and The First Monday in May documentaries. He was also the subject of Kate Novack’s documentary The Gospel According to André, which was released in the U.S. in 2018. His role in the industry also gave him the opportunity to become a stylist, famously landing him a role as Creative Director for Mariah Carey’s The Emancipation of Mimi era and even serving as a style advisor to the Obama family in 2008.
(from Left to right) Talley Pictured with Anna Wintour at the 1999 met gala, Talley pictured with Karl Lagerfeld at the 1995 met gala, Talley pictured with Diane von Furstenberg at new york fashion week in 2012
Source: Page Six, financial Times, & Flickr
ALT was not only a pioneer in fashion journalism, but he was also a pioneer for both the African-American and LGBT communities simultaneously. He was often the only Black person in the front row at many of the fashion shows he attended. Through his writing and work at various fashion publications, Talley constantly advocated for greater diversity in the industry and pushed top designers to include more Black models in their shows, in which he was successful. He was also the first to write about Black designers such as LaQuan Smith to further promote and advocate for his culture. His love for fashion was clear through his very flamboyant style, and being six foot six, you could not miss him anywhere.
Talley’s particular sense of style has influenced many to be bold and take risks. He was famous for wearing capes and kaftans, which he often got from designers such as Ralph Lauren, Karl Lagerfeld, Valentino, and Tom Ford. He also loved to wear fur, especially when accessorizing. He considered shoes to be the most important item in a person’s wardrobe. “You can tell everything about a person by what he puts on his feet,” he told the Associated Press.
Some of Talley’s Looks throughout his career
Source: lifestyle asia, Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity fair, & Pinterest @Queeneverdeen
Many have been affected by the sudden and heartbreaking loss of such a huge icon.
“The loss of André is felt by so many of us today: the designers he enthusiastically cheered on every season, and who loved him for it; the generations he inspired to work in the industry, seeing a figure who broke boundaries while never forgetting where he started from; those who knew fashion, and Vogue, simply because of him; and, not forgetting, the multitude of colleagues over the years who were consistently buoyed by every new discovery of André’s, which he would discuss loudly, and volubly—no one could make people more excited about the most seemingly insignificant fashion details than him,” says Anna Wintour. “Yet it’s the loss of André as my colleague and friend that I think of now; it’s immeasurable. He was magnificent and erudite and wickedly funny—mercurial, too. Like many decades-long relationships, there were complicated moments, but all I want to remember today, all I care about, is the brilliant and compassionate man who was a generous and loving friend to me and to my family for many, many years, and who we will all miss so much.”
André Leon Talley was a force in fashion that could not be reckoned with. His words and creative genius within his many works will be read and cherished for generations to come. ALT once said, “I'd like to be remembered as someone who made a difference in the lives of young people— that I nurtured someone and taught them to pursue their dreams and their careers, to leave a legacy.’” That is what he will be remembered for and his legacy will continue to burn bright forever.
Source: The Guardian