I love Andre Leon Talley the same way I “love” Karl Lagerfeld. I think they’re probably awful human beings with really screwed up priorities, but they’re funny and witty and they’re both massive bitches, and I appreciate that quality in a man. Talley (also known as ALT) was an editor-at-large for Vogue, and I think his current title is “contributing editor”. He and Anna Wintour are still relatively tight (as much as you can be “tight” with Wintour), and ALT is still very involved in the fashion world. These are photos of ALT wearing the same muumuu throughout this week (NYFW). Years ago, ALT was losing weight and exercising and focusing more on his health… but it looks like his program has stumbled, right? Poor Andre.
Anyway, I had come across these photos and I was dying to write about him, and I came across the perfect interview to excerpt. Styleite caught up with ALT at Laura Smalls show a few days ago, and ALT had a lot to say about Uggs and Michelle Obama.
Last night, we had the honor of viewing Laura Smalls‘ spring 2013 collection. The Michelle Obama-approved designer sent out a smattering of tailored looks, and sitting right across from us in the front row was André Leon Talley in a burgundy ensemble, and wait, Uggs? Indeed.
We caught up with the 62-year-old Talley, who said that Smalls has great potential and that Michelle truly inspires women.
“I thought that Laura has great promise,” he told us. “I think she has very sophisticated ideas, and that she’s a woman of great promise and has a great future. I think the pieces could be interpreted by Madame Obama for herself, definitely. Michelle Obama is an icon. She’s the greatest icon of our times. She’s a great First Lady and a great orator. I think she inspires women to be liberated in their fashion, as well as be liberated in their lives and what they do.”
And we of course had to ask about his Uggs.
“Yes, and why not? I’m in it for comfort. When I discovered Uggs, it was a revelation. I love Uggs. Uggs can be as chic as heels for women. Uggs are comfort shoes and it’s important to have a shoe that gives you a sense of comfort. I have about 15 pair of Uggs — the same shoe, the same color. And I also have the bedroom slippers. It’s my shoe of choice at this moment of 2012 — it has been my shoe of choice. I love that you noticed I’m wearing Uggs. And this is a Tom Ford bag.”
But wait, that’s not all! He had more to say about his footwear of choice:
“Uggs for me are a moment of utilitarian comfort that keeps you anchored in the reality of today’s world, which is very important. People have forgotten, and we’re all so busy running around, and these shoes give me a grounding. Men also have shoes, but sometimes, those tight little fabulous shoes are not exactly the thing you could wear for eight hours a day.”
Who would have guessed that ALT would be a proponent of comfort over beauty? That he would be such a tireless promoter of… Uggs? Imagine if Anna Wintour dared to work New York Fashion Week in Uggs! She would be run out of Fashion Week!
As for ALT declaring Michelle Obama as “the greatest icon of our times” – yeah, I really love FLOTUS too, but I think putting her on that kind of pedestal (superficial or not) is never a good thing.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
he is clever and witty man, but his body is toohudge & too much for me. Think him NAKED!!
dude, why u thinking him naked in the first place??? ALT is like Santa Claus to me…a fashionista asexual santa claus! Don’t ruin it for me! lol
Seriously, Marta. Why are you sexualizing Santa?
Don’t sexualize Santa….tell that one to Courtney Stodden.
I think I have an OVERACTIVE IMAGINATION:)))
Don’t sexualize the fashion pope! Let him wear his asexual cardinal frock in peace!
I don’t know how this man is the arbiter of style. But that’s how it is in the fashion world. Some of the most aesthetically challenged people (Wintour, Lagerfeld, Talley, Roitfeld) ‘dictate’ how other women ought to look. There ought to be a sitcom about this common theme.
If a woman was as fat as Talley and started dishing out fashion advice, everyone in the fashion world would laugh at her, but because Talley is male, associated with Anna Wintour, it’s ‘okay’.
You make a very good point.
Agreed.
I think I saw him in ‘The September Issue’ or somewhere else where he claimed that, wait for it…, dressing up completely in Vuitton and accesorizing with an expensive big watch to play tennis was ‘fashionable’. The mind boggles. You should have seen him sweating and panting. He had to work out because Wintour said he was too fat.
I loved him on ANTM though just because that show requires a caricature like him. His oneliners: ‘Dreckitude!’, ‘That’s very gauche’ were the icing on the tacky cake. A bunch of people who don’t know one thing about fashion and keep making money of cycles that never produce a real topmodel (2 or 4 succesful ones in total but no topmodel) give for the best reality-show ever made.
That movie proved once and for all that Grace Codington is the only one with any talent. Wintor/Talley are only good at kissing the right arses and being bitchy bitches.
Preach it. So true. She was amazing and not fashionable at all (didn’t she wear sandals? SANDALS! love it) but she had a vision and she executed it with such perfection, I wanted to slap Wintour in the face for daring to dismiss her pictures and make Coddington work on a new set. Rage.
I disliked all those who stood up for Coddington but then backed down whenever Wintour forced her shoddy opinion upon them. I’ll bet the only reason Coddington is still there is because how much Wintour tries to annoy here, she knows she’s good and she knows she’s strong and smart. All those asslickers are replaceable.
Sometimes I thought Wintour wanted to say ‘no’ all the time or pull her dismissive face because she’s bored with hersel, wants people to grovel for her entertainment and knows she doesn’t have any style at all. She’s probably amazed herself that her lack of fashion sense brought her that far!
Yes, Grace has real talent and vision. Wintor would f* with her just because she could. At one point in the movie Anna even admits she doesn’t have vision or can predict trends like Grace.
@ normades YES tell the truth! She is the only talented and sane one. I was so sad to see how she was constantly pushed around.
Well there are “fat” fashion female arbiters of style as well. The crazy orange haired lady for one.
That’s the thing about fashion, it is completely exposed to interpretation. I think Wintour has one of the sickest style in life, but that is just ME.
I sincerely love that comment. On every level.
I meant that @ aud.
I have to disagree with you on this. Diana Vreeland, Edith Head, Isabella Blow who were no oil paintings trump Anna Wintour, ALT, Kunty Karl any day. Despite being dead, they still influence what we wear. Kunty Karl merely re-issues Coco Chanel’s designs. Anna Wintour & ALT wish they were Diana Vreeland.
None of them were oil paintings!!!
Of course he loves Uggs. Imagine this weight catered around in high heels.
I love Andre Leon Talley the same way I “love” Karl Lagerfeld.
…and I hate him just as much as I hate Wintour.
Never thought he was funny or witty.
Well, Uggs is my favorite whenever winter is coming. There, I said it.
Me too! And I don’t care what anyone thinks either! I wear my Uggs with pride. And why not? The damn things are so expensive. And comfortable and warm. I don’t live in L.A. and my feet get gold in the winter.
I’ll cop to it. I love my Uggs and I’ve had them for about 15 years. You can buy new inserts and it makes them brand new again. Several pairs.
Montreal in the winter equals cold. Even in CA I wore mine, they look great with skinnies and a great sweater. I had a dedicated barn pair too.
I don’t wear them out on the town, but hagning out at home or doing a school run, yeah, Ive done it. I’ll keep doing it too. They make other awesome shoes now too. I have coral suede wedges that you would never ever guess are Uggs, but they are super comfy. I have a pair of awesome boots that Ugg makes too, not just the regular Ugg style.
More shout outs for Uggs! I couldn’t agree more, they are my one true comfort shoe, and i couldn’t care less whether or not they are in style. When i’m wearing them, it’s not to look cool, it’s to feel oh so comfy cozy, the perfect warm fuzzy, they truly are podiatric prozac for me!
I couldn’t GAF what anyone thinks about the aesthethic of Uggs, just like when I walk around the city in my running sneakers, they are comfy and functional and if you live in a cold climate Uggs are a SAVIOR. In the winter I throw them on every morning before I walk to work. They are utilitarian and serve a purpose-they’re not meant to be fashionable IMO.
yay for Kitten! I’m glad we are on the same Ugg page. I love them.
I love my heels too, but my Uggs are heaven in the cold.
Likewise ladies!! I love my Uggs – The BEST fall footwear!!
I think Uggs usually look terrible but look great with very slim pants or tights tucked in. I saw a woman dressed like that at my son’s soccer match in the winter. She had on the slim pants, Uggs, a long sweater that covered her behind and a brig cashmere wrap around her body. I thought that looked stunning so I got some Uggs and leggings but never pulled if off because I din’t complete the look. My sweaters were to short so my behind was not covered, a look I can’t pull off at 47 and I think that wrap, more than I could afford pulled it together. I hate to see Uggs tucked into jeans, but boy, they are comfortable and keep you feet SO warm.
He’s a bit less superficial lately, I think because he’s focused more on politics and world events. Lagerfeld is only about the surface.
Uggs are really big in Paris where the winters have been very cold. Worn with Skinny jeans they can look very chic. Even some men wear them and it’s not a terible look if done right.
Talley lost all his cred when he judged ANTM. Just sayin.
How can you be surprised that he would be a proponent of comfort over beauty? He’s walking around in a muumuu for chrissakes! He looks like some cult member that would try and give a flower at the airport!
I lost respect for his “styling” when he put that awful, gold bolero jacket on Jennifer Hudson at the Oscars….
Me too! He almost killed her “moment” with that hideous outfit. I thought I was the only one who remembered that. Since then I’ve considered him a nothing more than a fashion personality but he’s no tastemaker.
I’d sort of like to hang out with him for awhile…he seems fun. Like when he says, My bag is Tom Ford. Sign me up for a playdate…
his feet/ankles are so swollen it isn’t a surprise he loves his uggs; might be the only shoe that fits him comfortably.
love him but his health has got to be suffering judging by those ankles.
So, when was he elected to the College of Cardinals? How did I miss that news? Will he be moving to Rome soon? I wonder which candidate he will support in the next papal election?
LOLOL!
I think the poor man must have some real health issues. His ankles look very swollen 🙁
Leon <3
I love uggs for the cold winter in Chicago but I don’t do it for fashion.
I do think that Micehlle Obama is an Icon, she our first black first lady
and she has the education to back it up.
She IS on a pedestal for most Black women and she deserves to be there.
hmph!
Yeah!
ALT looks like he cries in the dark..w/a pint of Ben and Jerry’s in hand.
I’ve always liked him, but based on these pics, ALT is in no position to judge anyone’s style or sense of fashion.
love love LOVE!!!!!
UGGS are ugly! Ooh, the absolute worst. Talk about jumping on a bandwagon and having no individuality. I am in Chicago as well, we sadly make fun of all the soulless Ugg & NorthFace posses. Toms on the other hand I can go for – because you are giving someone else a pair of shoes too;) Opinions opinions..
why is ALT using a long winded excuse to justify his wearing pajamas, slippers, and uggs in public? he should just be real and say ” i don’t have any more f$&ks to give about looking like justed roll myself out of bed this morning and straight into this fashion show and/or upscale event. i might not have even brushed my teeth. i’m 62 and i REALLY don’t give a f#$k.”
I actually think he’s quite stylish for a man his size – at least this cardinal look is more creative than the typical fat person getup – XXXXX T-shirts and sweats.