André Leon Talley: Style Is Forever

Courtesy of SCAD FASH Museums

The late André Leon Talley has always existed in color, texture, and movement. He spoke the language of fashion fluently, not just through the pages of Vogue, but through every sweeping cape, structured silhouette, and unapologetic gesture that made him larger than life. This fall, that language takes form in André Leon Talley: Style Is Forever, a new exhibition curated by Rafael Brauer Gomes, creative director of SCAD FASH Museums.

Under Gomes’ direction, the exhibition doesn’t simply display clothing. It frames Talley’s wardrobe as autobiography. Nearly 70 looks from Talley’s personal collection are presented like chapters in a story. Couture and custom pieces from designers such as Tom Ford, Ralph Rucci, Manolo Blahnik, Dapper Dan, and Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld appear alongside personal mementos, photographs, and fashion ephemera. Every piece carries the energy of a man who viewed getting dressed as both an act of defiance and devotion.

What makes Style Is Forever special isn’t just the garments themselves, it’s the way they are shown. Mannequins were cast to Talley’s own measurements, allowing visitors to feel his presence in the room. His signature caftans and capes take up space as he once did, boldly and beautifully, without apology. Each garment feels like a conversation about confidence, self-expression, and the power of image.

Rafael Brauer Gomes curates with both reverence and intimacy, giving visitors a rare look into the emotional weight of Talley’s style. The exhibition’s design, equal parts cinematic and sacred, transforms the gallery into a space of reflection. You see not only what Talley wore, but why it mattered.

“André Leon Talley didn’t just shape fashion,” Gomes said. “He shaped people.”

That sentiment lingers in every corner of the exhibition.

Presented first at the SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah from August 15, 2025 through January 11, 2026 and later at SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film in Atlanta from October 15, 2025 through March 1, 2026, Style Is Forever arrives at a perfect moment when the fashion world is still grappling with questions of representation, influence, and authenticity. Talley’s story reminds us that true style has nothing to do with trends and everything to do with self-belief.

This exhibition is more than a look back. It’s an invitation to look deeper. Whether you walk through the halls in Savannah or Atlanta, or explore it from afar, Style Is Forever asks you to consider what your own presence communicates to the world and how fashion, in all its forms, can be a declaration of freedom.

Visit scadfash.org to learn more about André Leon Talley: Style Is Forever and plan your visit.