Wednesday, January 19, 2022

CHIFFON TRENCHES

Andre Leon Talley in my opinion,  was a complete hoot. Andre' who was a Vogue editor whose groundbreaking innovations in fashion made him a worldwide gamechanger and tastemaker, passed on to Fabulon, just tonight, at only 73. Larger than life, funny as hell, and of years late, famous for wearing his billowing oversized coats and capes as were his fan snapping moments. was something else. He ran at times over the years with the likes of Anna Wintour, Divine, Andy Warhol, Naomie Campbell, Bianca Jagger, John Gallino and Karl Lagerfeld. Tally made his name at Vogue working with Anna Wintour, longer than anyone else or counterpart, in shaping the world of fashion. And yes, I do think he was the only one to make Dame Wintour laugh.  Talley earned a master's degree in French Lit from Brown. In 1974 he apprenticed for the then Vogue Editor Diana Vreeland, where she recommended Talley to a job at Interview magazine, which led to WWD, before untimely landing at Vogue till his retirement.

 One of the many notable moments was when he advised the Obamas on fashion, introducing the First Lady to Jason Wu, actively worked to make the fashion industry more diverse, and seeing that Vogue was putting more Black models on the runway and in its pages. And then there were his quotes. I remember on a talk show once,  talking about his LGBT icon status. "I'm not heterosexual; I'm saying I'm fluid in my sexuality, darling". When fashion gets boring, like now in this pandemic, I recall him talking with Vera Wang in the "September Issue" on a lack of fashion in the industry to which he replied, "It's a famine of fashion honey."  And how true. I use that one to this day when I get bored of fashion. Alas, my only experiences were when I got to meet Andre' twice when he came to the opening of the Rachel Zoe boutique at the flagship store with Bloomingdales, when we were there doing visuals for the day for the event. And another for a Dita von Tesse show. Both times he was very open and cordial with the store team, campy and snappy with the one liners. I could have listened to him talk all day. He talked so elegantly, precise yet fun and whimsical. If I recall, it was also the first encounter I had with Iris Apel when he was present.

And I highly recommend his book if you're into fashion and a queen who can spill tea.


"The Chiffon Trenches" I remember when it had gossip and power brokers salivating before it hit the shelves in 2020.The book was a good read, and is a memoir and yet, like an historical document, chronicling of a world that was already on the fade but, post-Covid 19, and how fashion will be changed forever- if it survives at all. But the book also has excerpts taking aim at Anna Wintour herself, as well as Karl Lagerfeld. Juicy henny. But most impressive is all this from an African -American poor boy from the Jim Crow South, who made it to the front row of the Parisian fashion world, rubbing elbows with the world's leading designers. Not bad.

Andre 'Leon Talley

October 16th 1948-January 18 2022

27 comments:

  1. WHAT?!?!?! I hadn't heard this yet!!!

    He was a titan of the fashion and design industry, and that's putting it mildly. I worked on a show with him once here in Philly for a charity. He was a blast... and a handfull. And yet so eloquent.

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  2. The closing line says it all henny! Andre Leon Talley was a fashion professional for 50+ years. Bold, intelligent & compassionate. I role model of sorts for this fat sissy.

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  3. First, I NEED that jacket he’s wearing at the Chanel show. Second, he has my admiration. Third, I just might read the book!

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    1. You could pull that jacket off. It need a tall person.

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    2. Can you use your connections and get it for me? I’ll love you forever (well, I will anyway).

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    3. Ill see if I can get to the estate sale toots.

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  4. One on one - Tally v Nuclear Wintour would have been a sight to see

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  5. RIP, Mr Talley - Fabulon's a whole lot more stylish with your presence in the front row! Jx

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    1. And no doubt showing up at the pearly gates telling the angels...You wore THAT for my arrival?

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    2. ...before heading straight for Grace Mirabella's corner for a grand bitching session about La Wintour, no doubt! Jx

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  6. He forged himself quite the career! Bravo, for him. Glad you got to meet him. How exciting. Well, the world is a bit more dreary now without him, isn't it? Kizzes.

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  7. What the fuck, 2022?
    Really?
    And he was THE voice in fashion. Flawless taste. I remember I read a piece Interview Magazine did with him back in the day and I was hooked. For a Black boy to be taken in by Diana Vreeland and climb the ladder of fashion the way he did? Unprecedented. I loved The gospel According To Andre, that came out in 2017, or so. Highly recommend it.
    Damn it, 2022!

    XOXO

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    1. I loved his riot times. Especially when in September issue in the back of a car eating lunch and talking about how he can only find larger BDVs to wear!!!!!!

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  8. He was something else, all right, He was fabulous at a time when men, especially men of color, did not dare be fabulous, and he had no fucks to give about it.
    I was shocked when I heard of his passing.
    RIP.

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    1. Not to mention...probably one of two, himself and Grace Coddington, that could put Anna in her place.

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  9. I heard about this late last night, and I'm still sad thinking about it. RIP.

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  10. Most people who aren’t involved in the fashion industry wouldn’t know who he was. There is a documentary on him on Amazon, *ducks the flying heel from the Mistress* for free now. If your interested in who he really was , it does a decent job.

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  11. Fashion is a very complicated and cut-throat industry. Mr. Talley had the ability to simplify it and match everything together. He had the most important skill in the fashion industry: Communication skills.

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  12. I had to ask a friend who he was, but then you realize my fashion plate is Melmac.

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  13. Talley was an influential fashion journalist who worked at Women’s Wear Daily, I remember his columns in that as I used to read it religiously. And we saw him once at a show in the city. At 6-feet-6 inches tall, Talley cut an imposing figure wherever he went, with his stature, his considerable influence on the fashion world, and his bold looks. Talk about leaving a visual.

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  14. Every once in a while, someone managed to break through the racist guardrails. I may have to read the book just for the Wintour gossip.

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  15. I read "The Chiffon Trenches" too, and I highly recommend it.

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    1. I often wonder if we are siblings from other mother's?

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  16. I'm not into fashion, and the only Vogue I'm familiar with is that now defunct laundry detergent in the blue box that dear old mother made us bathe in. He sounds like a fascinating person, though.

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  17. He was a real gem in an otherwise cut-throat industry. RIP Mr. Talley.

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  18. Fabulon won't have a Famine of Fashion with him now there, alas, as the great ones cross over, we're having more and more of a Famine of it here.

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Go ahead darling, tell me something fabulous!