Andre’ Leon Talley items sold at auction for $3.5 million

André Leon Talley, the late fashion journalist and icon, was renowned for his exquisite taste and outsized presence.
Famously draping his 6-foot-6-inch frame in bespoke suits, robes, capes and caftans, the creative director and editor-at-large of American Vogue, who died in January 2022 at age 73, was known for his unique sartorial style.
Given the signature pieces among the hundreds of his personal items that were auctioned off this week by Christie’s and resulted in more than $3.5 million being fetched altogether, it was only fitting.
Christie’s reported that, across two auctions – one live and one virtual – more than 2,000 registrants from 47 countries took part.
Elizabeth Seigel, Christie’s head of private and iconic collections, stated that “it was especially gratifying to see the interest that generated astonishingly high bids across the board.” Christie’s is delighted to have played a part in the successful results of André Leon Talley’s Collection, which is a testament to his remarkable taste.
Nearly $1.4 million was fetched at an auction in New York on Wednesday for the first collection, which consisted of 66 lots comprising of paintings by famous artists, custom-made caftans, gem-studded jewelry and designer luggage. When it closed on Thursday, an online auction of 350 lots of clothing, artwork, accessories, home furnishings and other items ran for a longer time and generated more than $2 million in revenue.
Zion Baptist Church in Baltimore
The Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York and Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Baltimore will both benefit from the proceeds of the auctions. The auction house says that the Sinai Missionary Baptist Church in Durham, N.C. were “close to Mr. Talley’s heart.”
Growing up in segregated Durham, Talley became the first Black man to hold his position at Vogue, attributing his interest in fashion to attending church with his grandmother as a child.
His career, which would become legendary, included stints at Interview Magazine, W, The New York Times, and Women’s Wear Daily, and he also developed close friendships with other renowned figures in art and fashion.
Many of their works were featured at the auction, ranging from Andy Warhol paintings to Karl Lagerfeld sketches to photographs of former Vogue editor Diana Vreeland.
Christie’s said that the collection is a reflection of the decades-long relationships the designer has with iconic figures such as Karl Lagerfeld, Diane von Furstenberg, Ralph Rucci, Tom Ford, Diana Vreeland, and Anna Wintour, being both glamourous and intimate.
Final bids across both collections ranged from $756 (for 10 pairs of “various leather, wool or kid gloves”) to $94,500 (for two Warhol paintings, one of which was of Vreeland, and a set of three personalized Louis Vuitton suitcases).
Among the many remarkable pieces were a Vivienne Westwood cloak featuring the words “climate revolution” along with a long train, priced at $32,760, and an Antonio Lopez sketch of Talley with Vreeland and designer Paloma Picasso, priced at $25,200.
According to Christie’s, many of the items far exceeded their pre-sale estimates.
It was expected that a Christian Dior wool coat would fetch $1,000, however, it was ultimately sold for $40,320. The auction house says that the red “sleeping bag” coat by Norma Kamali sold for $25,200, a price that is 50 times its initial estimated value of $500.
Anyone who watched Sunday’s Super Bowl halftime show may look at the bright, oversize coat and feel a sense of familiarity.
Many interpreted Rihanna’s wearing of a puffy red coat during part of her performance as a tribute to Talley. Recently resurfaced video of Talley fawning over Rihanna’s outfit at the 2015 Met Gala seems to suggest a mutual admiration between the two.
Before the show, Talley’s official Instagram account celebrated her by sharing a video of the two talking and embracing, which has remained active. Later, with a nod to her outfit, it followed up with a picture of Talley in his iconic red coat, captioned with lyrics from Rihanna’s song “Umbrella.”