André Leon Talley, the former longtime creative director for Vogue and a fashion icon in his own right, has died at age 73, according to a statement on his official Instagram account.

Fashion expert and TV personality Bevy Smith told us, “Andre Leon Talley was one of one. If you are a black person in fashion, even if you didn’t know him, he was a beacon.

Talley first joined Vogue in 1983 as the magazine's fashion news director. He quickly rose to creative director and editor-in-chief Anna Wintour 's right-hand — a position he held from 1987 to 1995.

Melania Trump and Andre Leon Talley during MAC Cosmetics Hosts Launch Party for Andre Leon Talley's New Book, "A.L.T. 365" at La Grenouille in New York City.

Working with André was never easy. The man had strong ideas. And he had the ability to briefly terrorize me and our very tough director as he sent us scurrying around to execute one of his whims.

For many years, shortly after the flowers began to sprout, André Leon Talley would ascend the steps of a church on 84th Street and Fifth Avenue to pay homage to the gods of fashion. This year, on ...

André Leon Talley, the former longtime creative director for Vogue and a fashion icon in his own right, has died at age 73, according to a statement on his official Instagram account.

André Leon Talley, the former longtime creative director for Vogue and a fashion icon in his own right, has died at age 73, according to a statement on his official Instagram account.