Anna Wintour’s Former Right-Hand Reveals her Bitter Personality

Things are heating up between Anna Wintour and her former assistant, André Leon Talley, after the latter released his memoir where he wrote a harsh portrait of his former friend.

Is Anna Wintour “not capable of human kindness”? This is what the Vogue Editor-in-Chief's former right-hand man Andre Leon Talley confirmed in his memoir published on May 19^th in the USA. In his book “The Chiffon Trenches: A Memoir”, the fashion editor who worked for the American edition of Vogue for almost 30 years, tells his complicated relationship with Anna Wintour. It is a bitter-tasting friendship statement that adds to the reputation of the fashion mogul.

The "Nuclear Wintour" effect

In this book, André Léon Talley - or ALT as the fashion industry likes to call him - tackles the Anna Wintour myth. He writes that their friendly and professional relationship has left him with "huge emotional and psychological scars." He added that the editor-in-chief of Vogue USA is "ruthless”. She would lookat anyone with disregard except “the powerful and famous people who populate the pages of Vogue.”

To support his statements, André Léon Talley refers to a Parisian episode in 2011, where he accompanied Anna Wintour when she received the Légion d'Honneur, France's highest award. He reported that the Vogue editor-in-chief was treating him as an assistant rather than a true friend after 3 decades of working with him. An anecdote among others that come to worsen the reputation of one of the most powerful figures in fashion. Noting that, her personality trait was shown in a movie in 2006 with The Devil Wears Prada; where Meryl Streep embodied a character inspired by the editor of the American Vogue.

A breathless friendship

The relationship between these two iconic fashion figures began to fade from 2013, the year when André Léon Talley left his post to become a temporary partner of the American magazine. In 2016, he was asked to host a series of podcasts where he interviews fashion figures. However, the project was cancelled overnight. "No explanation or financial compensation followed," ALT wrote in his book. He continued:

"Anna ousted me by silence as usual".

This incident pushed him to reconsider his friendship with his former boss. "I decided it was time to show myself worthy and no longer be the victim of this silence," wrote the former fashion editor.

Two years later, André Léon Talley was the victim of Wintour’s policy again. Talley used to cover the Met Gala red carpet, where he interviews celebrities, however, he was informed in 2018 that his contract will not be renewed. Anna Wintour has never given him any explanation.

“I imagine that I had suddenly become too old, too fat, and not cool enough for her," he wrote.

The red carpet interviews were given to Liza Koshy, who is a YouTube star in her twenties and with no experience in fashion. ALT vowed to never attend the Met Gala again.

The myth of André Léon Talley

Despite his complicated relationship with his former boss, André Léon Talley confirmed in an interview with Vulture that his book “is not a vengeful, bitchy tell-all.” He explains: "It is an epistle to everyone that I love,” recalling his love and respect for Anna Wintour.
 

André Léon Talley joined Vogue in 1983 after working for several American medias such as the Women’s Wear Daily, W Magazine and the New York Times. He was the one to manage fashion sections of the publication. In 1988, Anna Wintour was appointed editor-in-chief of the magazine, and after that
ALT was appointed as creative director. He kept this position focusing on designers from different backgrounds until 1995. After a three-year break in Paris, he went back to work alongside Anna Wintour until 2013.

Old hand of fashion weeks and a real fashion hard drive, André Leon Talley has become a significant figure thanks to his strong personality, his imposing stature and his fiery style. He does not seem to be resentful; when Vulture asked him if he would return to Vogue in case Wintour asked him to, he said:

“Of course, but she never will.”