After a three-decade residency at Vogue, contributing editor André Leon Talley is leaving the magazine. Beyond the masthead, you might recognize ALT from his Louis Vuitton-clad tennis practice in The September Issue, or simply for his glorious collection of capes.
Talley recently signed on with former NBC co-chair Ben Silverman's production company to create a late-night talk show. Rumor has it that Vogue's distaste for the squawking, hideously gauche machine that is the—what do you call it?—television box played a role in his departure.
André is no stranger to TV, having already made the rounds on America's Next Top Model and Entertainment Tonight. And if his conversation with Beasts of the Southern Wild's adorable Quvenzhané Wallis is any indication, he has potential as a chat show host. (I, for one, would also support a switch from late night's standard desk-and-couch setup to ALT's conducting all interviews while hiding behind an armchair.)
Vogue chief Anna Wintour's distaste for television is well documented, as when she turned down a partnership with Project Runway. Although Citizen Wintour bristled at "cheapening" her magazine's brand, the show proved a cash cow for Elle.
Regardless, this is said to be an amicable split, with more Talley-Vogue collaborations on the horizon.
[Image via Getty]