Legendary fashion journalist and adviser André Leon Talley died earlier this week at age 73, and the reaction from fans and fashion luminaries was swift ― especially on Twitter, where people shared their memories of meeting Talley and taking inspiration from his life and career.
The former Vogue creative director and editor-at-large was raised in Durham, North Carolina, and worked at Interview and Women’s Wear Daily before he was hired at Vogue, where he became one of the world’s most influential arbiters of style and a trailblazer who worked constantly to increase diversity and representation in fashion. He also really, really loved Rihanna and caftans.
Here, we’ve gathered some of the most charming and poignant tweets remembering him:
In ~2009 I met Andre Leon Talley and was so awestruck all I could think to ask was “why do so many fashion people still use fax machines?” He cried “Sketches! Sketches!” and swept away in a floor-length gray opera cape.
— Helen Rosner (@hels) January 19, 2022
Farewell to a king, Andre Leon Talley.
— Jenna Clarke (@jennamclarke) January 19, 2022
He had many bon mots (mostly cooing at Rhianna at the Met Gala) but this lives rent free in my head:
"Have knowledge of what you're talking about. Read and be curious. Always listen. Be prepared when you're doing something." pic.twitter.com/iQyINZVVoz
back in my campaign days, Andre Leon Talley used to stroll into our fundraising office, Lee Radziwill clinging feebly to his arm. fur full-length and scraping the floor. all i could think, 22 and fully awed, was—who in the world is this!
— Vinson Cunningham (@vcunningham) January 19, 2022
André Leon Talley in awe with Rihanna’s MET Gala dress by Guo Pei was really a moment.
— Bella Goth (@HotCommieGal) January 19, 2022
RIP to André Leon Talley! A true legend! pic.twitter.com/2UJBd8ib4M
RIP Andre Leon Talley 🥺 You always loved Rihanna so much. I will never forget this Met Gala moment. I always think about it pic.twitter.com/QZrpFoUXSH
— bri 💎 (@DearBelcalis) January 19, 2022
“I scorched the earth with my talent and I let my light shine.”
— Ashley Lee (@cashleelee) January 19, 2022
—André Leon Talley, forever a legend pic.twitter.com/WOkfo3RIEg
For a little black gay boy who reached for the stars from the south there were few people I could look up to up there amongst the stars who looked like me just more fab except for you Andre.
— NYT Least Relevant Notable of 2021 Jeremy O Harris (@jeremyoharris) January 19, 2022
For a generation of boysAndre Leon Talley was a beacon of grace and aspiration. RIP 👑 pic.twitter.com/9MzNkKNl45
When other Black people decided (and still) to make a mockery of the southern church mothers, André Leon Talley recognized that many of us learned aspirational, sophisticated womanhood from those women. Clean homes, cooking from scratch, brooches, gloves, how to “BE.”
— blocking specialist (@fancytomboy) January 19, 2022
From the iconic Hilton Als profile of Andre Leon Talley. The retainer! pic.twitter.com/1NbrI00aKp
— Andrew LaVallee (@andrewlavallee) January 19, 2022
My concern about ALT’s passing is that people will forget how he had to rage, coddle, pamper, schmooze, wheedle, bargain and bully the powers that be at CN to help get Black folks at the table. To show us as something glamorous, desirable, beautiful. I can’t imagine…
— sailently judging you (@saibellanyc) January 19, 2022
André Leon Talley being from the South meant so much to me. A beautiful path showing us we could all go after our biggest fashion dreams, a legend.
— Robyn Mowatt (@Robyn_Mowatt) January 19, 2022
🤍
“I could be walking down the street and they could decide to arrest me, even in all this gold and gilt.”
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) January 19, 2022
– Andre Leon Talley, speaking to the New York Times in May 2018 about racism in the fashion world and in America
A treasure of a man. May he rest in power and peace. ✊🏾🤎 pic.twitter.com/7Bam0aiPya
André Leon Talley made it possible for so many Black queer boys and men to express ourselves out loud. No reservations.
— Preston Mitchum, he/him (@PrestonMitchum) January 19, 2022
A legend. An icon.
May he rest in peace and power knowing that he paved the way for many people who looked up to him. ♥️🥺
This is going to sound wild but I once had a conversation with André Leon Talley in the Whole Foods at Duke. He was just grazing the salad bar, holding court. He saw me looking and spoke. He was funny and smart and kind to me without being condescending. I never forgot that.
— Tressie McMillan Cottom (@tressiemcphd) January 19, 2022
He got real local with me once he knew that I was from Central. He was Black, Black. And loved it. Anyway, I don’t usually do these kinds of celebrity stories when someone dies but he feels like one in a long line of great losses this year.
— Tressie McMillan Cottom (@tressiemcphd) January 19, 2022
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