Talley the Human
Born in Washington, DC, in 1948 and raised in Durham, North Carolina, André Leon Talley is celebrated as one of the most influential figures in the fashion industry. A curator, journalist, a stylist, he made history as the first African American editor-at-large at Vogue Magazine from 1998 through 2013 while leveraging his passion for fashion to propel himself as a legend within the arts on a global scale.
Known for his advocacy, wealth of knowledge and admiration of interior design, literature, furniture, the fine arts, and his pragmatic vocabulary, the late Talley has credited his grandmother, Binnie Francis Davis, for cultivating his admiration of elegance into his DNA at a young age. Through one, he grew up going to church with his grandmother, where this is a place community fosters the arts through different mediums; however, in this case, Talley was able to observe everybody’s Sunday best, which can feature colorful suits and blouses, extravagant hats, and so forth. Also, Binnie’s (Talley’s Grandmother) household primarily used white sheets but would boil them and hang them to dry, ultimately insisting on the importance of taking pride in his belongings. Then, at nine, he started collecting fashion editorials from Duke University’s local library, the campus where Binnie was a maid for 50 years. Around this time, there was an available room at his grandmother’s house, allowing him the space to read the fashion literature he was collecting. From Vogue magazine editorials and studying the work of Diana Vreeland, the former editor-in-chief of Vogue between 1962 and 1971, to later witnessing Naomi Simms become the first African American Model to appear on the cover of Life Magazine in 1969.
“Taste and style has nothing to do with youth or wealth, but what you wish to express to the world.”
In 1970, Talley earned a Bachelor of Arts in French Literature from North Carolina Central University (NCCU) and a master’s degree in French studies from Brown University in 1972. While at Brown, this marked a transition of his sartorial evolution by immersing himself in the vibrant atmosphere of Rhode Island School of Design through working for the Rhode Island School of Design student newspaper during the 70s. Ultimately later producing his thesis “North African Figures in Nineteenth-Century French Paintings and Prose,” an analysis on the influence of African culture on French literature, emphasizing the impact of North African women through the works of Charles Baudelaire and Eugene Delacroix.
At the age of 25, with the chance of meeting with then Vogue editor Carrie Donovan, Talley was convinced to move to New York City in 1974, where he was introduced to Diana Vreeland, known for her youthful and eccentric features, editorials, and photography by emphasizing 1960s culture. Thus, creating the concept of the "Beautiful People,” referring to a subset of youthful, affluent, and carefree individuals within the broader international community, positioned to influence the realms of fashion, art, and society. By the time Mrs. Vreeland finished with Vogue in 1974, she had begun curating the renowned exhibition “Romantic and Glamorous Hollywood Design” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a series to glorify heroes and heroines by showcasing over 100 costumes from movie stars. By this time, Talley had been invited to the MET, but had not been introduced to Mrs. Vreeland yet. While volunteering for the exhibit, one of the curators gave him a project to create a swim suite out of metal discs found by Vreeland in Hollywood and assemble his work on a manikin. With a pair of plyers, Talley performed a surrealist assemblage of the swimsuit worn by Lana Turner in the 1955 movie “The Prodigal.” Noticed by Vreeland, Talley was tasked with being her assistant for the remainder of that show where shifting view design to a more curatorial manner.
Impact
In 1975, Talley began working for Andy Warhol’s factory as a receptionist at “Interview Magazine,” where he developed a relationship with former Fendi designer Karl Lagerfeld. Between 1975 and 1980, Talley moved to Paris to work as the Paris bureau Chief of Women’s Wear Daily under John Fairchild, where he would explore the European fashion scene with Yves Saint Laurent and his team. His time spent in Europe exposed him to the architecture, classical sculptures like Michelangelo’s David which added to his reparation of influence. Through his experience later qualified him to move back to New York and become the creative director and editor at large of Vogue under Anna Wintour in 1983.
Throughout Talley’s Career, he contributed to progressing the industry as a walking encyclopedia. One of which includes uplifting John Galliano’s career with hands-on support for his Fall 1994 runway show, doing so by helping Galliano secure funding from the inner circles of Karl Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent, Dodie Rosekrans, Princess Lucy Young Hamilton, the heiress to the Jiff peanut Butter Fortune, and Sao Schlumberger. He also managed to secure a runway set, supermodels from the likes of Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Shalom Harlow, Christy Turlington, and Linda Evangelista to walk the show. Everything required to build one of the fashion industry's most notable collections that featured headpieces by Julian Dy's and a white fur shrug with a wide neck complimenting a handkerchief dress.
A True, Pioneer in Diversity and Inclusion
Known as a Black leader in the non-traditional sense, being that his position was earned through his education and knowledge, his writings were impeccable, and behind the scenes, he was known for promoting black people within the fashion industry. From the 1979 WWD cover’s Black Model from Givenchy, Cabine, Andre Leon Talley was a towering figure in the spaces he was in. Known for dedicating his life to advocating for diversity and inclusivity, despite facing racism and discrimination throughout his career, Talley relentlessly pushed boundaries and opened doors for Black individuals in the fashion world. By consistently donning bold attire and exuding confidence, Talley challenged the status quo and demanded recognition for Black excellence. Talley's advocacy extended beyond his personal experiences in that he fearlessly spoke truth to power, highlighting the industry's shortcomings in embracing diversity and inclusion by calling out industry leaders in their lack of effort for inclusivity, candidly exposing their white privilege and alignment to colonialist behaviors.
Talley however celebrated groundbreaking moments such as Tyler Mitchell's historic Vogue 2018 cover featuring Beyoncé stating, "It's been a long time coming, and it should be embraced, this unique moment 126 years into Vogue's legacy” and his influence spanned beyond fashion circles, shaping pop culture and inspiring generations to come. Through his mentorship and consultations of iconic figures like Naomi Campbell and Michelle Obama, to his support for emerging talents like Jason Wu, who was introduced to former First Lady Michelle Obama by Talley and later designed her inauguration gown in 2008. All of which underscores his commitment to fostering diverse voices and celebrating Black achievement.
In essence, Andre Leon Talley's advocacy work epitomizes resilience, courage, and unwavering commitment to dismantling barriers and amplifying marginalized voices in the pursuit of a more inclusive fashion industry and world at large.
However, sadly, Talley passed away in January of 2022 due to health complications. Yet, his legacy lives on through up-and-coming designers, stylists, writers, and all the Black kids who are working to have a shot at making it in this industry.