André Leon Talley — Style Is Forever
An incredibly intimate exhibition celebrating the legendary life and legacy of a true fashion icon and inspiration, André Leon Talley, curated by Rafael Gomes for Savannah College of Art and Design.
I was deeply honoured to be part of the official opening in Lacoste—its first presentation in France, on view until 31 October—and to share my story with André.
I met André when I first arrived in Paris, working at the Chanel studio in 1996. I had just arrived from Sydney and fresh out of Studio Berçot, immersed in French, in Couture—at the height of the British Invasion, and the fashion big bang!
André and Karl Lagerfeld were kindred spirits—a constant presence in the studio.
Karl and André spoke in exclamations, in gestures, in whispers, in osmosis …
pure fashion theatre, pure expressionism at its finest.
André and I connected through a shared adoration of Diana Vreeland—his mentor, under whose wing he worked closely at the Met Costume Institute exhibitions until her final days, just as Andy Warhol shaped his Interview Magazine years and beyond. Our kitchen conversations were pure indulgence.
André championed so many talents—without his presence, the heights and peaks of fashion would never have been as explosive.
His deep relationship with SCAD as a longtime supporter and inspirational presence reflected his enthusiasm for nurturing the next generation of creatives.
A force, a voice, a legacy—forever!
Thank you Stefano Tonchi and the entire SCAD team. It was a joy to encounter the next generation of creatives across art and cinema, and to celebrate the enduring force of André Leon Talley.
Merci
@paulaswallace @stefanotonchi @arieljamiestark @alexdelotchdavis @raf_gom @cedric_maros @jc_donahue @scadlacoste @scadfash @scaddotedu 
