The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) Museum of Art is presenting a major exhibition celebrating the life and fashion legacy of André Leon Talley, the legendary fashion editor and stylist who broke barriers in the industry. "André Leon Talley: Style Is Forever" runs from August 15 through January 11 at the SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah and from October 15 through March 1 at the SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion & Film in Atlanta.
The exhibition tells the remarkable story of a man who grew up in the racist Old South and rose to conquer the world of fashion, narrating his journey through an extraordinary collection of clothing and personal artifacts. André Leon Talley was raised in Durham, North Carolina, primarily by his grandmother Bennie Frances Davis, who worked as a cleaning lady at Duke University for 50 years. Despite having few clothes, Davis kept them immaculate, teaching her grandson that being well-dressed was both a compliment to others and a service to oneself.
After excelling as a student at Brown University, Talley moved to New York City in 1974 to begin an apprenticeship at The Costume Institute of The Metropolitan Museum under the legendary Diana Vreeland. With little money, he created his distinctive style by finding incredible pieces at thrift stores, including the long military coat he wore constantly and a pith helmet, army shirts, safari jackets, and Bermuda shorts that made him a memorable, often eccentric figure in New York's fashion scene.
Vreeland, who later said of Talley, "He was the only person who knew more about fashion than I did," introduced him to Andy Warhol, who gave him his first job manning the switchboards at Interview magazine. A 1976 photograph by Sal Traina captured Talley at Calvin Klein's apartment wearing an outfit that exemplified his bold style: knee-length white shorts, a starched striped shirt with white collar finished with a narrow ribbon tie in an Edwardian bow, a bandaged straw hat, and thigh-high socks with lace-up shoes that made his six-foot-six frame even more imposing.
From Manhattan's heady fashion world, Talley moved to Paris in the late 1970s to work as a fashion editor for Women's Wear Daily during the city's most exciting fashion years. During this period, he became known for his evening suits, often double-breasted, worn with bowed patent evening shoes, long satin ribbons tied into bows at the neck, and polka-dot cravats in his breast pocket. Whether escorting tall models like Iman or petite celebrities like Cher, Talley was always the beacon in any crowd, serving as protector and entertainer.
Talley cultivated relationships with fashion's most influential figures, including Diane von Furstenberg, Tina Chow, Loulou de la Falaise, Paloma Picasso, Karl Lagerfeld, São Schlumberger, and Princess Gloria von Thurn und Taxis. When he joined American Vogue in 1992, colleagues could hear his distinctive voice from down the corridor, often discussing fashion with his characteristic flair: "My dear, but have you seen the beige of Calvin's coats."
The exhibition features some of Talley's most memorable outfits from major fashion events. For the 1999 Rock Style Met Gala, he wore Tom Ford's floor-length embroidered stamped-leather coat that resembled 18th-century wall covering. At the 2004 Dangerous Liaisons Met Gala, he donned an unforgettable Chanel Haute Couture opera coat in pale gray silk faille with feathery edging and hand-painted 1790s buttons, a gift from Karl Lagerfeld. For 2011's Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty exhibition, he chose an enveloping coat of vivid kingfisher blue by Nicolas Ghesquière for Balenciaga, worn with a navy Ralph Lauren suit and raspberry strass-buckled evening shoes by Bruno Frisoni at Roger Vivier.
As Talley's body changed over the years, so did his wardrobe. He continued wearing exquisite handmade suits from Huntsman, Richard Anderson, and Ralph Lauren, but began covering them with dramatic coats. His collection included extravagant pieces from Prada made of multiple alligator skins in various colors including umber, blue, pale pink, mossy green, red, navy, off-white, and black, plus a magnificent bright red sleeping bag coat from Norma Kamali. He accessorized with customized giant bags from Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Ralph Lauren, and Gucci, along with luxurious stoles of sable from Fendi and mink intarsia with Louis Vuitton logos.
In his later years, when traditional suits and designer shoes no longer fit comfortably, Talley transitioned to custom Uggs and caftans. These weren't ordinary caftans but dazzling creations beautifully cut by designers including Dapper Dan, Tom Ford, Gucci, Patience Torlowei, Diane von Furstenberg, and Ralph Rucci, in which he looked hieratic and regal.
After leaving Vogue, Talley found new purpose at the Savannah College of Art and Design, brought into the institution by founder, president, and CEO Paula Wallace. He fell in love with Savannah's majestic oaks and early 19th-century architecture, which reminded him of his Durham childhood. Talley persuaded major designers including Tom Ford, Miuccia Prada, Marc Jacobs, and Vivienne Westwood to visit Savannah and interact with SCAD's students, while building up the school's Costume Collection with donations from Anna Wintour, Cornelia Guest, philanthropist Deeda Blair, socialite Patricia Altschul, and ultimately his own extensive wardrobe.
The exhibition, curated by SCAD creative director Rafael Brauer Gomes, particularly highlights Talley's dedication to mentoring students, especially Black students whom he especially encouraged. In his later years at SCAD, colleagues noted that Talley became warmer and more human, focusing his energy on nurturing the next generation of fashion professionals. "I'd like to be remembered as someone who made a difference in the lives of young people," Talley said not long before his passing in 2022, "that I nurtured them and taught them to pursue their dreams and their careers—to leave a legacy."
