
Kabar duka datang dari industri fashion dunia. André Leon Talley, salah satu ikon fashion yang berpengaruh di dunia mode, meninggal dunia di usia 73 tahun di New York, pada Selasa, 18 Januari 2022 waktu setempat. Ia merupakan mantan direktur kreatif Vogue, pernah menjadi juri di America’s Next Top Model, dan fashion stylist mantan presiden Amerika Serikat, Barack Obama. Kabar meninggalnya Talley pertama kali dikabarkan oleh TMZ sebelum dikonfirmasi oleh David Vigliano, agen sang ikon mode, di media sosial.
Tertarik pada fashion sejak kecil
André Leon Talley lahir di North Carolina, Amerika Serikat, pada 16 Oktober 1948. Sejak usia muda, ketertarikannya pada dunia mode sudah mengisi pikirannya, apalagi setelah ia pertama kali menemukan majalah Vogue di perpustakaan setempat saat usianya sekitar 9 tahun. Dalam bukunya yang dirilis tahun 2020, The Chiffon Trenches, Talley mengenang kekagumannya dulu saat melihat keanggunan Jackie Kennedy, mantan Ibu Negara AS, di momen pelantikan John F. Kennedy di tahun 1961.
“Saya terobsesi dengan topi pillbox-nya, detail bulu di kerahnya, sepatu boots-nya yang dikelilingi bulu, serta sarung tangan yang membuat tangannya tetap hangat di tengah hawa dingin Januari yang membekukan,” tulisnya. Kecintaannya pada dunia mode ini pun membawanya menuju karir yang gemilang di bidang fashion.
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overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CY5n_zVsLaR/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Andre Leon Talley (@andreltalley)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
Karier di dunia mode
Lulus dari program sastra Prancis di North Carolina Central University dan meraih gelar masternya di Brown University, Talley melanjutkan magang di Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. Di sana ia berkarya di bawah bimbingan Diana Vreeland, seorang legenda fashion yang kala itu merupakan editor di majalah Harper’s BAZAAR. Mengutip Harper’s BAZAAR US, dalam bukunya tersebut Talley mengenang didikan Vreeland yang mengajarinya berbicara dengan bahasa gaya, imajinasi, dan sastra. Sepanjang hayat ia menghormati sosok Vreeland sebagai mentor dan panutan dalam kariernya.
Mantan direktur kreatif Vogue
Talley pertama kali bergabung dengan Vogue pada 1983 sebagai direktur berita fashion. Ia kemudian diangkat menjadi direktur kreatif majalah mode tersebut sepanjang periode 1987-1995. Lebih dari satu dekade berkarya di Vogue, pria kelahiran 16 Oktober 1948 itu sempat mundur di tahun 1995 dan pindah ke Paris. Ia terus berkontribusi di majalah mode tersebut meski sudah tak menjabat posisi tetap di sana. Hingga akhirnya Talley kembali lagi di tahun 1998. Talley kembali ke Vogue sebagai editor-at–large, dan rutin menulis kolom bulanan Style Fax. Talley menjabat posisi itu sampai 2013.
Sosok legenda
Sosok Talley kemudian semakin dikenal sejak kemunculannya sebagai juri di America’s Next Top Model. Ia bahkan sempat menjadi stylist mantan presiden AS, Barrack Obama, selama kepemimpinannya sebagai kepala negara. Jurnalis mode yang dikenal dengan gaya busananya yang unik ini juga terlibat dalam proyek documenter di tahun 2017 berjudul , “The Gospel According to André,” yang disutradarai oleh Kate Novack. Lebih dari sekadar representasi, eksistensinya sebagai pria keturunan Afrika-Amerika di dunia mode papan atas merupakan dukungan atas gagasan yang inklusif di dunia yang cenderung eksklusif ini.
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André Leon Talley kini telah tiada. Hingga kini, penyebab kematiannya masih belum diketahui. Menurut Washington Post—yang telah dikonfirmasi oleh Darren Walker, presiden Ford Foundation yang berteman baik dengan Talley—Talley menderita beberapa penyakit kronis termasuk asma dan Covid-19 beberapa hari lalu. Business of Fashion juga melaporkan bahwa Talley sempat dilarikan ke rumah sakit karena serangan jantung sebelum mengembuskan napas terakhir.
MARDYANA ULVA
Foto: NY Times