André Leon Talley born in Washington, D.C., the son of Alma Ruth Davis and William Carroll Talley (by day a press operator at the U.S. Patent Office and by night a taxi driver). André’s parents will eventually divorce and he will be raised by his maternal grandmother, Bennie Frances Davis, in Durham, North Carolina; she works as a dormitory-room cleaner at Duke University.
Baptised. Family life is grounded in the church. “My childhood was, by anyone’s standards, a rich one,”
[7] he later writes. Because of his height—which eventually will reach six feet seven inches—his father entertains hopes he will become a basketball player.
After graduating from Hillside High School, studies French at North Carolina Central University.
Leaves Durham to pursue a master’s degree in French literature at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. While there, he participates in an exchange program at Rhode Island School of Design; at RISD, he will take an art history course, develop friendships with fashion enthusiasts, and write a gossip-and-fashion column for the school newspaper.
Earns his master’s. Later writes, “My topic was the pivotal role played by all the fabulous, exotic North African women in the works of poet Charles Baudelaire and painter Eugène Delacroix.”
[8] After weekend visits to friend Reed Evins in New York, realizes that a career in academia is not for him. Encouraged by Reed and the artist Richard Merkin, decides to pursue fashion.
Moves to Manhattan. With a letter of recommendation from the father of a friend from RISD, obtains a volunteer position at the Met’s Costume Institute. Contributes to Interview magazine’s Small Talk column.
Takes first steady job in New York, working for Pop artist Andy Warhol at
Interview. “On his first day at work,” editor Bob Colacello later says, “André turned up in khaki safari shirt and Bermuda shorts, with matching knee socks, topped off by a hunter’s helmet from Abercrombie & Fitch. . . . We dubbed him André de Interview, because he often answered the phone with a festive ‘Bonjour!’ ”
[9] Soon, Talley is promoted from receptionist to fashion editor.
Becomes a Paris fashion editor for WWD.
Hired by Eunice W. Johnson as the fashion editor of Ebonymagazine.
Joins Vogue as fashion news editor; will be in charge of Vogue’s View fashion section.
Named Vogue’s creative director.
Loses the two most important women in his life, his grandmother, Bennie Frances Davis, and his mentor, Diana Vreeland. Joins the congregation of the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem.
Begins writing his memoir, partly as a therapeutic way to get over the deaths of his grandmother and Vreeland.
Leaves Vogue and moves to Paris to be bureau chief for W.
Returns to the States and to Vogue (where he is named editor at large). Begins writing a regular column, Style Fax; it will later be known as Life With André.
Savannah College of Art and Design, of which he is a trustee, creates a lifetime achievement award in Talley’s name;
Oscar de la Renta,
Miuccia Prada,
Tom Ford, and Manolo Blahnik are among the future recipients.
A.L.T.: A Memoir published by Villard.
Takes the stage with the Martha Graham Dance Company to narrate The Owl and the Pussycat.
His second book,
ALT 365+, published. Inspired by a trip to Turin, Italy—where he took a snapshot of Miuccia Prada with a disposable camera—it is an art monograph, chronicling 365 days of his life through his own photographs and words. Included are fond remarks about Diana Ross, Oscar de la Renta, and
Diane von Furstenberg (a friend since the 1970s).
Comments on Oscar fashion—live, from the red carpet—as one of the cohosts of ABC’s Academy Awards night coverage. Curates “A Celebration of Oscar Fashion,” which showcases famous dresses from down the years, in the grand lobby of the Academy’s Beverly Hills headquarters.
Plays himself in Sex and the City: The Movie.
Blankets the airwaves as an authoritative voice on White House fashion during the Obama administration’s inauguration week. Appears in two hit documentaries:
The September Issue and
Valentino: The Last Emperor. Signs on as a judge in
America’s Next Top Model.
Gets a new title at Vogue, contributing editor; continues to write his column, Life With André, and report from around the globe, while accepting more freelance television gigs and personal projects.
Steps down as America’s Next Top Model judge. The André Leon Talley Gallery opens at the new SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah, Georgia.
Becomes frequent contributor to
Entertainment Tonight,reporting from red carpet events including the Screen Actors Guild Awards and the Oscars.
February: Receives Emerge! Fashion Innovator Award, presented by CFDA president Diane von Furstenberg.
September: Curates “Little Black Dress” exhibit at the SCAD museum.
October: Hosts a dinner for British designer
Zandra Rhodes—a longtime friend (and fellow Diana Vreeland protégée)—in celebration of a retrospective of her work at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design.
January: Begins shooting a regular video column called Mondays with André for Vogue.com. February: Strikes a deal with production company Electus for his own late-night talk show. Named editor at large for Numéro magazine’s new Russian edition.
Photograph by George Burns/Harpo, Inc. Published in Vogue, April 2006.Washington, D.C.
Comments