Former Vogue creative director and fashion icon Andre Leon Talley dies aged 73

Talley was 73 (Picture: Getty Images)

Former Vogue creative director Andre Leon Talley has died aged 73, his reps have confirmed.

The ‘indomitable’ fashion designer and journalist died on Tuesday in New York.

‘It is with great sadness we announce the passing of our dear friend and client, the indomitable Andre Leon Talley on January 18, 2022 in New York,’ TAA PR said in a statement.

‘Mr Talley was the larger-than-life, long time creative director at Vogue during its rise to dominance as the world’s fashion bible.

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During a career spanning five decades Talley worked closely alongside Vogue editor Anna Wintour, and befriended big names in the fashion world including Yves Saint Laurent, Karl Lagerfeld and Paloma Picasso.

According to TMZ, Talley had been in hospital battling an unknown illness

Tributes have poured in for the fashion icon, with designer Diane von Fürstenberg writing on Instagram: ‘Good bye darling André ❤️🙏… No one saw the world in a more glamorous way than you did ❤️🙏… no one was grander and more soulful than you were ❤️🙏…the world will be less joyfulI ❤️🙏

‘I have loved you and laughed with you for 45 years…. I miss your loud screams …I love you soooo much.’

Talley worked at Vogue on and off between 1983 and 2013 (Picture: Getty Images)

America’s Next Top Model star Tyra Banks said in a statement to Entertainment Tonight: ‘I adored Andre. Before meeting him, I had never experienced such a prolific person serving up a rare mix of fashion ‘fabulousness’ and real down-home southern comfort love.

‘Being in his presence was so magical. He made me smile, laugh and was a masterful teacher – a genius historian.’

She added: ‘Scholar, colleague, effervescent spirit, legend…you are resting now, Dearest Andre. But your spirit, your je ne sais quoi, your iconic voice…I hear it now. And will forever. We all will.’

Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis shared a photo of her with Talley, and wrote: ‘RIP Andre Leon Talley. Rest well King.’

Talley joined the Vogue family in 1983 as the magazine’s fashion news director, and quickly rose through the ranks to become creative director and Wintour’s most trusted advisor between1987 to 1995. He left Vogue in 1995 and moved to Paris, where he returned to W Magazine after working at the publication earlier in his career.

During this period, he continued contributing to Vogue as an editor before rejoining the fashion bible full-time as editor-at-large. He remained with the magazine until officially leaving for good in 2013.

Talley was a respected figure in fashion and boasted close relationships with the likes of Naomi Campbell (Picture: Rex Features)

Talley has been remembered as ‘grand and soulful’ by friend Diane von Furstenberg, pictured here with Vogue’s Grace Coddington (l) (Picture: Rex Features)

Talley pictured here with model Kimora Lee Simmons (Picture: Rex Features)

Talley worked closely with Vogue editor Anna Wintour throughout the years (Picture: Getty)

Talley was Wintour’s right-hand man (Picture: Rex Features)

Credit: metro.co.uk