Sizwe Sibiya
Ukudlula emhlabeni kuka-André Leon Talley (73), owayengumqondisi wezobuciko kwi-Vogue Magazine edumile kunyakazise imboni yezemfashini.
Kuwo wonke umsebenzi wakhe, uTalley ubhalwe njengomuntu obenamathalente amaningi okuba “namandla okuletha ushintsho”, “iqhawe elikhulu kunawo wonke” nokuba ngumhleli omnyama ohlukile kwiphephabhuku iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-45.
Wazalwa zingu-16 kuMfumfu 1949 ezalelwa e-Washington DC eMelika, uTalley waba nothando lwemfashini ebukela kugogo wakhe uBennie Davis owayehlala endaweni yase-Durham, eNyakatho ne-Carolina, lapho akhulela khona watha iziqu ze-Bachelor of Arts ngemibhalo yesiFulentshi, njengoba kuthiwa wayenamaphupho okufundisa ulimi lwesiFulentshi ngelinye ilanga.
Kodwa ngemuva kokuphuthula eNyuvesi, kuthiwa wazithela phezu kwekhophi ye-Vogue, iphephabhuku elichaza umsebenzi wakhe wobungcweti. Waqala ukusebenza lapho njengomqondisi wezindaba zemfashini ngo-1983, ngaphambi kokuba abe ngumqondisi wezobuciko ekugcineni waba ngumhleli omkhulu.
Ngokushesha uTalley waphenduka undabamlonyeni, okuyimpumelelo eyivelakancane kunoma iyiphi intatheli. Konke lokhu kuyingxenye yamafilimu akhe ahlukahlukene kanye nezinhlelo zikamabonakude nayo yonke imisebenzi yakhe, njengohlelo olushisa izikhotha i-Sex and the City kanye nefilimu, i-The Intern eyakhishwa ngo-2000.
Ngo-2008, weluleka unkosikazi wowayenguMengameli uMichelle Obama ukuthi uzogqokani emcimbini wokugcotshwa kukaMengameli.
UTalley uphinde waba ngumbhali othengisa kakhulu we-New York Times ngencwadi yakhe eyakhishwa ngo-2020 enesihloko esithi-The Chiffon Trenches, eyathandwa ngabagxeki nabalandeli ngokufanayo.
UTalley oshiye ingcebo yomlando wezemfashini nethalente, ushonele edolobheni alibize njengekhaya kule minyaka engamashumi amabili edlule ephethwe yisifo senhliziyo.