André Leon Talley: Style Is Forever is a tribute to the enduring legacy of André Leon Talley — distinguished editor, cultural icon, and beloved SCAD mentor and friend. The exhibition features select looks from Talley’s personal collection, including ready-to-wear, couture, and bespoke pieces, highlighting some of his most recognizable moments from legendary Met Galas to famed front rows as well as more intimate occasions and celebrations.
Rising from his Southern roots in North Carolina, Talley launched an unparalleled career that began with Diana Vreeland at The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute and traversed through pop culture with Andy Warhol at The Factory and into the highest echelons of style with Anna Wintour at Vogue. Talley’s deep intellect, flair for language, and skill at contextualizing contemporary design within the richness of history established his long reign as fashion’s kingmaker. In his columns and editorials, he stirred audiences to view aesthetics through a more expansive lens of beauty, identity, authenticity, and empowerment.
Style Is Forever displays a curated selection of Talley’s wardrobe by designers including Givenchy, Ralph Rucci, Balenciaga, and Gucci alongside cherished mementos and artworks from friends such as Diane von Furstenberg. Made possible through an extraordinary bequest of garments, accessories, and ephemera to the SCAD Permanent Collection, the exhibition foregrounds Talley’s lasting gift to generations of students and scholars.
Presented across SCAD museums in Atlanta and Savannah, Style Is Forever marks the 10th anniversary of the university’s SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film. Across his long partnership with SCAD, Talley curated acclaimed exhibitions and welcomed renowned designers to the university to share their insights, enriching the student experience while advancing cultural dialogue and exchange.
An accompanying exhibition catalogue commemorates Talley’s grandeur and global impact, brought to life in new photography by SCAD alum Allen Cooley alongside images from the archives of fashion documentarians Jonathan Becker and Robert Fairer. Essays, stories, and memories from colleagues and admirers who experienced Talley’s singular character reflect on a career spanning more than four decades, offering a rare view into his private world, the people who shared it, and their collective contributions to fashion history.
