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ANDRE Leon Talley, an icon of US fashion journalism who held the positions of creative director and editor-at-large at US Vogue, passed away at the age of 73, and the cause of death is still unknown.
A source told TMZ he passed away on Tuesday at a hospital in White Plains, NY.
Talley's time at Vogue began in 1983 and ended in 2013, working closely with the magazine’s iconic editor-in-chief Anna Wintour in shaping the publication’s image. Talley served as news director from 1983 to 1987, before becoming creative director in 1988. He then became Vogue’s editor-at-large, a position that he held until 2013.
After his departure, he continued to contribute to Vogue in varying capacities including on podcasts.
Outside of Vogue, Talley’s career in fashion journalism spanned six decades, his contributions appearing in Women’s Wear Daily, W and the New York Times, among others.
Talley was a trailblazer in the fashion world when it came for more minority representation on the runway, specifically black models and black fashion designers. He was also an LGBT icon, though he never did officially come out, describing himself as “fluid”.
Born on October 16, 1948 in Washington DC, Talley was raised by his grandmother in Durham, North Carolina. He graduated from university with a degree in French literature, later earning a Masters in that field from Brown University.
Away from fashion journalism, he was a stylist at one point for the Obama family. He also made some appearances on television as a judge on reality TV shows like America’s Next Top Model.
A 2017 documentary, The Gospel According to André, was made about his exploits post-Vogue.
Talley wrote three books, including two memoirs. The most recent one, The Chiffon Trenches, details his falling out with Wintour and his experience with racism working in the fashion industry. – The Vibes, January 19, 2022
