Remembering Andre Leon Talley, an Influential Fashion Journalist
Andre Leon Talley, a former fashion editor who broke boundaries within the industry, passed away on Tuesday in a hospital in White Plains, N.Y. at 73 years old.
His passing was announced through his Instagram, along with a statement describing the fashion mogul’s legendary career.
Darren Walker, Talley’s close friend and president of the Ford Foundation, confirmed that his friend had passed away after many health struggles.
Talley was born in Washington, D.C, on Oct. 16, 1948, but was raised by his grandmother Bennie Frances Davis in Durham, N.C., during the jim crow era. He attended Brown University, earning his master’s degree in French literature.
Talley got his start in fashion with an apprenticeship to Diana Vreeland at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. It was through Vreeland that he was able to enter the magazine world. He went on to work at Andy Warhol’s Interview, Women’s Wear Daily, and the New York Times.
In 1983, Talley was named creative director by Anna Wintour and continued to work for Vogue as editor-at-large until 2013. He was the first Black man to hold his position at Vogue and was almost always the only Black person sitting front row at fashion shows.
Talley had friends in design studios from New York to Paris, such as Diane von Furstenberg, Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, and many more. When the news broke out about his passing, his friends in fashion and celebrities took to social media to express their condolences.
Diane von Furstenberg shared a series of pictures on her Instagram with captions reminiscing their 45 years of friendship.
It is undeniable that Andre Leon Talley was a legend for breaking boundaries, achieving his goals, and defying the odds.
