André Leon Talley Tribute Is Still in the Works
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TALLEY MEMORIAL: Friends and followers of André Leon Talley may have to wait until May to attend a tribute in his honor.
The former editor at large at Vogue has been the subject of many media articles, social media posts and remembrances since his unexpected death on Jan. 18. Members of Talley’s inner circle have been busy helping to settle his affairs and mapping out the details of a gathering in his memory. The Abyssinian Baptist Church, where Talley regularly attended services, is expected to be the setting, according to his friend Jonathan Becker.
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Although nothing has been scheduled yet, Talley’s friends are leaning toward an early May event so that many of the European fashion crowd and other special guests, who will be in New York to attend the Met Gala, would be able to pay tribute to Talley’s life as well. “André’s life is going to be celebrated for a long time,” said his longtime friend Diane von Furstenberg.
Talley’s attorney Erik Weinick declined to comment about his estate. He said the legal dispute over the ownership of Talley’s $1 million home in White Plains, N.Y., between the late fashion journalist and George Malkemus and Anthony Yurgaitis was amicably settled prior to Malkemus’ death last year. Edward David, an attorney for Malkemus and Yurgaitis, confirmed that as well. That enabled Talley to continue to live there.
Talley’s archives are expected to go to the Savannah College of Art and Design, which he championed and where there is a gallery in his name that was sponsored by von Furstenberg. “André was a true, true, true friend of mine. Last night, I went back and re-read hundreds of emails [that he had written]. We really had a relationship — real — for 48 years. And I loved him,” she said.
Having just listened to the audible version of his book, “The Chiffon Trenches: A Memoir,” the designer said the fact that it is in his voice makes it all the more poignant.
Talley was working on a project or two before his death at White Plains Hospital. One that was already polished up was a partnership with Tiffany & Co. on an upcoming book project.
Emphasizing how Talley had a lot of really loyal people around him, von Furstenberg named Carolina Herrera, Annette de la Renta, Manolo Blahnik, Becker and his wife Alexandra [Kotur] and Maureen Dowd. “A lot of people loved him. And Anna [Wintour] loved him, too,” von Furstenberg said of the editor in chief of Vogue, who had a bitter falling out with Talley that he found hurtful but who claimed last week that the two made up before his death.
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