Late Tuesday night, the news broke that André Leon Talley, former creative director and editor at large of Vogue magazine, had died at 73.
Talley had a long career as a fashion journalist, but he also came to be regarded as a style icon in his own right. The trailblazer knew how to rock a bespoke suit and often showed off his impressive height in floor-length caftans.
We’ve rounded up 49 photos of Talley’s style evolution, from his early magazine days to his years as an essential Met Gala fixture.
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1
1980

Images Press via Getty Images
Talley and Marina Schiano in New York City circa 1980.
2
1989

Images Press via Getty Images
Talley at the Met Gala in 1989 in New York City.
3
1989

Ron Galella, Ltd. via Getty Images
Talley and Naomi Campbell during Tanqueray Sterling Ball in New York City in 1989.
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4
1990

Ron Galella, Ltd. via Getty Images
Talley and Marc Jacobs during the Paris Haute Couture Fashion Show and Cocktail Party in New York City in 1990.
5
1991

Frank Trapper via Getty Images
Talley and Sandra Bernhard at the 1991 American Foundation for AIDS Research benefit.
6
1995

Ron Galella via Getty Images
Talley during the Board Aid Lifebeat Benefit in Los Angeles in 1995.
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7
1997

Ron Galella, Ltd. via Getty Images
Talley and Anna Wintour at the Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards in New York City in 1997.
8
1997

Ron Galella via Getty Images
Talley and Cher at the Met Gala in New York City in 1997.
9
1999

Rose Hartman via Getty Images
Talley and Wintour at the Met Gala in New York City in 1999.
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10
2000

Evan Agostini via Getty Images
Talley and Sophie Dahl at the 2000 VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
11
2002

Arnaldo Magnani via Getty Images
Talley in New York City in 2002.
12
2003

Dimitrios Kambouris via Getty Images
Talley and Phillip Bloch at The Hudson New York in 2003.
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13
2004

Gregory Pace via Getty Images
Talley during Olympus Fashion Week in New York City in 2004.
14
2004

Ron Galella via Getty Images
Talley and Renée Zellweger during the 2004 Met Gala in New York City.
15
2004

Sylvain Gaboury via Getty Images
Talley and Selma Blair during the 2004 CFDA Fashion Awards at the New York Public Library.
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16
2004

Dimitrios Kambouris via Getty Images
Talley at an Interview Magazine event in New York City in 2004.
17
2005

Djamilla Rosa Cochran via Getty Images
Talley and Tracy Reese during Olympus Fashion Week at Bryant Park in New York City in 2005.
18
2005

JB Lacroix via Getty Images
Talley and Wintour during Paris Fashion Week in 2005.
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19
2006

Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
Talley at the 2006 Met Gala in New York City.
20
2006

Michael Loccisano via Getty Images
Talley and Oscar de la Renta at Morgan Library in New York City in 2006.
21
2007

Shane Gritzinger via Getty Images
Talley during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City in 2007.
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22
2007

Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
Talley at a Calvin Klein runway show in New York City in 2007.
23
2008

Dimitrios Kambouris via Getty Images
Talley and Venus Williams at the Met Gala in New York City in 2008.
24
2008

Rabbani and Solimene Photography via Getty Images
Talley and Campbell at the 2008 CFDA Fashion Awards in New York City.
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25
2008

Brian Ach via Getty Images
Talley and Wintour at an event at Skylight Studios in New York City in 2008.
26
2009

Kevin Mazur via Getty Images
Talley at the 2009 Met Gala in New York City.
27
2009

Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
Talley and Diane von Furstenberg at the Tribeca Film Festival Opening Night Dinner in New York City in 2009.
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28
2010

Jemal Countess via Getty Images
Tally at Simyone Lounge in New York City in 2010.
29
2010

Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
Talley and Kathryn Chalmers at the New York Junior League's 2010 Winter Ball at The Plaza Hotel.
30
2010

Dimitrios Kambouris via Getty Images
Talley and Whoopi Goldberg at the 2010 Met Gala in New York City.
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31
2011

Larry Busacca via Getty Images
Talley at the 2011 Met Gala in New York City.
32
2012

Pascal Le Segretain via Getty Images
Talley at a Chanel show in Versailles, France, in 2012.
33
2013

Jacopo M. Raule via Getty Images
Talley at Milan Fashion Week in 2013.
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34
2013

Charles Norfleet via Getty Images
Talley and Fern Mallis at 92nd Street Y in New York City in 2013.
35
2014

John Lamparski via Getty Images
Talley at the memorial service for L'Wren Scott at St. Bartholomew's Church in New York City in 2014.
36
2014

Michael Loccisano via Getty Images
Talley and Wintour backstage at the Carolina Herrera fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City in 2014.
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37
2014

Bravo via Getty Images
Tailey and Jennifer Hudson at "Watch What Happens Live" in 2014.
38
2015

Andrew Toth via Getty Images
Talley departs The Mark Hotel for the Met Gala in 2015.
39
2015

Paul Morigi via Getty Images
Talley and Robin Givhan at her "Battle of Versailles" book signing party in Washington, D.C., in 2015.
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40
2015

Bravo via Getty Images
Talley at "Watch What Happens Live" in 2015.
41
2016

Gilbert Carrasquillo via Getty Images
Talley at the Marc Jacobs fashion show during New York Fashion Week in 2016.
42
2017

Ben Gabbe via Getty Images
Talley leaving The Mark Hotel to attend the 2017 Met Gala in New York City.
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43
2017

Taylor Hill via Getty Images
Talley during "Sunday at The Met: Andrew Bolton and Andre Leon Talley" in New York City in 2017.
44
2017

Nancy Rivera/Bauer-Griffin via Getty Images
Talley in New York City in 2017.
45
2018

Gilbert Carrasquillo via Getty Images
Talley at the Carolina Herrera fashion show during New York Fashion Week in 2018.
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46
2018

Araya Doheny via Getty Images
Talley at a screening of "The Gospel According to Andre" in Los Angeles in 2018.
47
2019

David M. Benett via Getty Images
Talley at Arise Fashion Week in Lagos, Nigeria, in 2019.
48
2020

Rob Kim via Getty Images
Talley at the Blue Jacket Fashion Show during New York Fashion Week in 2020.
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49
2020

John Lamparski via Getty Images
Talley at the Carolina Herrera show during New York Fashion Week in 2020.