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The Met Gala is the fashion world equivalent of the Oscars, and if there was an award for the most frequent fixture, save for Anna Wintour, it would go to none other than André Leon Talley. One of the first to greet the celebrities as they step onto the 150-foot-long red carpet. TheSkimm is a free daily newsletter geared toward women on the go who start their mornings by opening up their email and “skimming” its short, sweet, and just a bit of snarky summary of all the top headlines.
GUEST SKIMM: André Leon Talley, Vogue Contributing Editor
Tonight is the Met Gala, aka fashion’s prom, to celebrate the opening of the annual Costume Institute exhibition. Everyone will be there. Not you.
How do you pronounce your name?
On-Dre Lee-on Talley.
Who are you?
I’m a larger-than-life fashion personage with a great deal of gravitas, having gone through five decades of fashion. . . . I’ve been at the forefront of great fashion moments in the 20th century and 21st century. So I’ve been through the chiffon trenches.
What is the Met Gala?
The Met Gala is extraordinary. It is the Easter parade, the Christmas morning, the Super Bowl of fashion. It is THE fashion event. It is the Oscars of the fashion world. Everyone who is anyone who has ever achieved anything who is remotely interesting comes to the Met Gala. And it’s very vital and very exciting and you want to be a part of that. And if you can’t . . . then you can always go onto theVogue app and be part of the excitement.
Why aren’t we invited?
I answered it, didn’t I?
What is this year’s theme?
“Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology.” . . . The moments of couture and the machine and the crisscross sections of that.
What is your favorite Met Gala memory?
Cher came up the steps and I was beating a tambourine and she took the tambourine out of my hands and she started beating the tambourine. And we became friends . . . Unfortunately the person I most wanted to see is not coming because she’s on tour. It’s Rihanna. . . . But I do look forward to Beyoncé.
Any plans to install microphones in the elevators?
. . . Oh, how brilliant with the question. And you do it with a smile! That is not a question I can answer because I’m not involved with the technical production of the elevators in the museum.
What are the first things that you look at every morning?
Well, I hope I get up every morning and look at the Vogue app after I look at Anna Wintour’s emails.