Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour Remembers André Leon Talley as ‘Brilliant and Compassionate’
Following the death of trailblazing editor André Leon Talley yesterday at 73, Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour has spoken out in remembrance of him.
“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. Even his stream of colorful faxes and emails were a highly anticipated event, something we all looked forward to,” Wintour stated in Talley’s Vogue obituary.
The editorial icon, who worked closely with Talley until his Vogue tenure ended in 2013, fondly remembered his humor and friendship.
“Yet it’s the loss of André as my colleague and friend that I think of now; it’s immeasurable,” Wintour continued. “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.”
TMZ reported that Talley died Tuesday at a hospital in White Plains, N.Y. His cause of death has not been revealed.
A singular voice, Talley rose through the fashion ranks at WWD, Vanity Fair and House and Garden, but it was his tenure at Vogue that defined his illustrious career. Talley chronicled his incredible highs and dramatic lows in “The Chiffon Trenches,” his 2020 memoir.
He notably paved the way for many fashion talents that counted him as a close friend, including Manolo Blahnik, Marc Jacobs and Diane von Furstenberg.
Discover Andre Leon Talley’s front row moments through the years.
