André Leon Talley, the first Black creative director of Vogue magazine, died Tuesday at age 73.
Talley’s official Instagram account confirmed his death with a statement and tribute to the late fashion icon early Wednesday. “Mr. Talley was the larger-than-life, longtime creative director at Vogue during its rise to dominance as the world’s fashion bible,” the statement read.
Talley began at Vogue in 1983, and in 1988 was named the Condé Nast magazine’s creative director, ultimately also serving as editor-at-large.
Talley’s social media account added that “over the past five decades as an international icon was a close confidant of Yves Saint Laurent, Karl Lagerfeld, Paloma Picasso, Diane von Fürstenberg and he had a penchant for discovering, nurturing and celebrating young designers.”
Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue and longtime friend and colleague to Talley, remembered the fashion giant in the publication’s obituary published Wednesday.
“The loss of Andre is felt by so many of us today,” Wintour wrote. “Yet it’s the loss of Andre as my colleague and friend that I think of now; it’s immeasurable. He was magnificent and erudite and wickedly funny—mercurial, too. Like many decades-long relationships, there were complicated moments, but all I want to remember today, all I care about, is the brilliant and compassionate man who was a generous and loving friend to me and to my family for many, many years.”
