André Leon Talley, former creative director for Vogue (seen here in Studio 54 in 1979) has died at the age of 73.
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Talley was considered a fashion titan, having worked in the industry for almost 50 years.
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In 2010, he joined Tyra Banks as a judge on the reality competition series "America's Next Top Model."
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Talley was a longtime collaborator and friend of Vogue magazine editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.
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He moved in star-studded social circles, regularly mixing with fashion-forward celebrities, including Cher. Here the pair is seen attending the Met Gala in 1997.
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He has been a near-permanent fixture at the Met Gala since 1974.
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Hallmarks of Talley's personal style included billowing capes and kaftans made from eye-catching colors.
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Talley's taste in fashion was flamboyant and fun. Tom Ford, Valentino and Karl Lagerfeld were among those who designed kaftans for him.
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Designer Vera Wang was a close friend and confidante of Talley's; he once described them as being "like barking dogs" when together.
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In 2020, Talley wrote a memoir called "The Chiffon Trenches" about his life lived on fashion's front lines.
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Despite being a world-class fashion authority, Talley once described the industry a "vicious, cruel beast."
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Karl Lagerfeld and Talley had reportedly known each other since 1975. In a remembrance essay for Vogue after Lagerfeld's death in 2019, Talley said the designer was both a close friend and a mentor.
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Talley's fashion legacy moved with the times. In 2016, he became known for sporting exaggerated, statement puffer jackets like this one designed by Norma Kamali.
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In 2017, he was awarded the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government in honor of his contribution to the fashion industry. Receiving the recognition was the "best day of my life," he said in an Instagram post.