André Leon Talley Dies At 73

Words by Romana Hai

André Leon Talley Dies At 73
André Leon Talley Dies At 73
American fashion journalist, creative director and Vogue magazine’s former editor-at-large, André Leon Talley, has died.

Talley passed away on Tuesday, January 18, 2022, at a hospital in White Plains from a heart attack, according to reports.

Talley’s team took it to Instagram to confirm his passing.

“It is with great sadness we announce the passing of André Leon Talley on January 18, 2022, in New York. Mr. Talley was the larger-than-life, longtime creative director at Vogue during its rise to dominance as the world’s fashion bible,” said the post.

“Over the past five decades as an international icon was a close confidant of Yves Saint Laurent, Karl Lagerfeld, Paloma Picasso, Diane von Furstenberg, Bethann Hardison, Manolo Blahnik and he had a penchant for discovering, nurturing and celebrating young designers.”

Talley first joined Vogue in 1983 as the publication’s fashion news director. Less than five years into his role, he was appointed as the creative director at the magazine, where he alongside Anna Wintour as her right hand.

Talley left the magazine in 1995 and moved to Paris for a role at the W Magazine, a publication where he worked earlier in his career.

While Talley was no longer with Vogue, he still contributed to the publication as an editor. He then rejoined the company again in 1998, this time as the editor-at-large, writing a monthly column called Style Fax. Talley stayed with Vogue until his final departure in 2013.

Throughout his career, Talley contributed to various notable publications such as the Interview Magazine, The New York Times (NYT) and Women’s Wear Daily (WWD). Additionally, Talley was the subject of “The Gospel According to André,” a documentary released in 2018.

In May 2020, Talley released a memoir about his life and career called The Chiffon Trenches. In the biography, Talley touched on his upbringing in Durham, North Carolina and described his journey to the front row of every exclusive fashion show. Talley also discussed his time at Vogue and his relationship with Wintour, which eventually unraveled.

“I think my relationship is in an iceberg with her,” said Talley in an interview with Gayle King in May 2020. “I hope that it will not be that forever.”

Talley was 73 years old at the time of his death.

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