News of the famed fashion journalist's death was revealed through a post on his official Instagram account. Tally was best known as an influential editor at Vogue magazine, a title which he held for more than three decades.
According to a report from TMZ, Talley died in a hospital in White Plains, NY. Vogue confirmed Talley died of a heart attack on Tuesday at the age of 73. However, a friend of Talley's, Dr. Yvonne Cormier told the Houston Chronicle that he had passed away from complications from coronavirus.
“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,” a post on Talley's official Instagram read.
“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.”
The fashion world is mourning his loss as tributes from designers, models, and fellow journalists continue to pour in.
Diane von Furstenberg a close friend of Talley’s, shared a heartfelt message on Instagram: “no one saw the world in a more elegant and glamorous way than you did ❤️🙏… no one was more soulful and grander than you were ❤️🙏…the world will be less joyful now ❤️🙏 I have loved you and laughed with you for 45 years…. I will miss your loud screams and your loyal friendship…I love you soooo much ❤️🙏.”
"Being in his presence was so magical. He made me smile, laugh and was a masterful teacher - a generous, genius historian," said Tyra Banks, who shared the judging panel with Talley on several seasons of “America’s Next Top Model.”
New York Times fashion critic Vanessa Friedman said goodbye to Talley, calling him "a towering figure, in every sense," on Twitter.
Talley joined Vogue in 1983 and worked as the magazine's fashion news director. However, he rose the ranks to creative director and quickly become editor-in-chief, working alongside Anna Wintour.
In 1995, Talley moved to Paris to write for W Magazine, a publication he previously wrote for in his early days as a fashion journalist.
While there, he continued contributing to Vogue as an editor until he rejoined the magazine full-time in 1998, writing the monthly column Style Fax. It was this role he worked until his final departure from Vogue in 2013.
However, his work extended beyond Vogue. Talley’s pieces appeared in other reputable outlets such as Vanity Fair, HG, Women’s Wear Daily, and Interview. He edited for publication Numero Russia and even appeared as a judge on America’s Next Top Model.
Over the course of his career, he wrote several books. In 2020 he released a best-selling memoir titled, “The Chiffon Trenches.” The piece details his rise to success from his humble beginning in Durham, North Carolina, to star-studded affairs as a true fashion icon.
Pages in the book also recount his time at Vogue and discuss how his decades-long friendship with Anna Wintour ended.
Wintour was among those who took to social media remembering Talley. “The loss of Andre is felt by so many of us today," Wintour wrote. “Yet it’s the loss of Andre as my colleague and friend that I think of now; it’s immeasurable. He was magnificent and erudite and wickedly funny—mercurial, too.”
André Leon Talley, the larger-than-life former Vogue editor, has died at 73. Below, a statement from Anna Wintour.
— Vogue Magazine (@voguemagazine) January 19, 2022
Take a closer look at Talley's life and legacy: https://t.co/fOAOANueSA pic.twitter.com/SbjAD91tJd
“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."
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