André Leon Talley, the larger-than-life former Vogue editor, has died at the age of 73. Talley was a man of grand pronouncements, extravagant capes, and friends in design studios from New York to Paris: Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, Diane von Furstenberg. , Karl Lagerfeld, and many more. When news broke of his death from a heart attack last night, many of his friends in fashion and beyond took to social media to express their grief, and a topic emerged. The "Pharaoh of Fabulousness," as another Vogue staffer once dubbed Talley, was also the industry's greatest champion and mover, the first behind-the-scenes editor, quick with encouraging advice or a course correction. His enthusiasm was prodigious.
“So many of us feel the loss of André 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 without ever forgetting where he came from; those who knew fashion, and Vogue, simply because of him; and, not forgetting, the multitude of colleagues over the years who were constantly encouraged by André's every new discovery, which he discussed loudly and glibly; No one could get people more excited about seemingly insignificant fashion details than he. Even her stream of colorful faxes and emails was a long-awaited event, something we all looked forward to,” said Anna Wintour. “However, it is the loss of André as my colleague and friend that I think about now; it is immeasurable. He was gorgeous, erudite and wickedly funny, fickle too. Like many decades-long relationships, there were difficult times, but all I want to remember today, the only thing that matters to me, is the brilliant and compassionate man who was a generous and loving friend to me and my family for many, many years. and whom we will all miss dearly."
Source: https://www.vogue.com/article/andre-leon-talley-obituary
