SCAD Honors a Fashion Legend: André Leon Talley — Style Is Forever
- The VIVANT Team
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Fashion has icons… and then there was André Leon Talley — towering, brilliant, unforgettable. Now, SCAD is rolling out the red carpet for a fashion retrospective worthy of the man who turned capes into a calling card and couture into conversation.
“André Leon Talley: Style Is Forever” is a sweeping new exhibition celebrating Talley’s personal archive, much of which he generously gifted to SCAD before his passing. The result? A blockbuster, cinematic immersion into the wardrobe and world of one of fashion’s most influential voices.
A Closet Like No Other
On display: nearly seven decades of style history worn — and adored — by Talley himself. Expect couture and custom pieces from:
Tom Ford-era Gucci glamour
Karl Lagerfeld’s razor-sharp Chanel
McQueen’s majestic drama
Ghesquière’s futuristic Balenciaga
Galliano, Tisci, Rucci, and more
These aren’t just clothes. They’re characters in Talley’s life story — exuberant, sculptural, larger than life. Presented on custom-cast sculptures based on his figure, the garments feel almost alive, as if Talley might sweep back in at any moment with a booming laugh and a perfectly timed critique.
The Story Behind the Style
The exhibition traces Talley’s journey from his upbringing in North Carolina to his rise as Vogue’s imaginative force — a man who believed in the transformative power of fashion, worshipped beauty, and championed young designers with evangelistic devotion.
You’ll see his signature capes and caftans, but also personal photographs, editorial moments, and the intimate ephemera that reveal what he loved, what inspired him, and what he fought for.
A Legacy That Lives On
This is more than a fashion show — it’s a cultural portrait. It honors Talley not only as an editor and historian but as a barrier-breaker, mentor, and the definition of presence. His life is a reminder that style is not about labels or trends — it’s about conviction.
The exhibition debuts at the SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah, with additional installations opening at SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film in Atlanta and later traveling to SCAD Lacoste in France.
Why You Should Go
Because you’ll leave inspired. Because the clothes will take your breath away. Because no one shaped fashion’s modern imagination like André Leon Talley — and seeing his archive up close feels like stepping into fashion history with a front-row seat.
Most of all, you’ll understand exactly why the exhibition’s title is correct:
Style isn’t temporary. Style is forever.
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