# Ebony Revisits André Leon Talley’s Early Fashion Legacy

> Ebony celebrates André Leon Talley’s early 1980s work championing Black designers and models.
- Title: Ebony Revisits André Leon Talley’s Early Fashion Legacy
- Summary: Ebony celebrates André Leon Talley’s early 1980s work championing Black designers and models. Ebony revisited André Leon Talley’s brief 1980s run as fashion…
- Keywords: andre leon talley, ebony, black designers, fashion editor, black models, vogue, culture, music, Revisits, André, Leon, Talley
- Source: Complex — https://complex.com/style/a/bernadette-giacomazzo/andre-leon-talley-ebony-fashion-director
- Published: 2026-10-18T17:21:59.463+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: andre leon talley, ebony, black designers, fashion editor, black models, vogue, culture, music
## Ebony’s 1980s Fashion Platform
Ebony reopened archives to honor André Leon Talley’s early-1980s run as fashion editor.
## Talley’s Black Fashion Advocacy
Talley centered Black designers as fashion architects and celebrated models like Pat Cleveland and Beverly Johnson.
## Community Impact
Talley’s work reached his church family and Black households after facing racism at Women’s Wear Daily.
## 1980 Model Feature
Talley highlighted Black models’ influence while addressing colorism and limited visibility in fashion.
## Key takeaway

Ebony revisited André Leon Talley’s brief 1980s run as fashion editor, where he centered Black designers and models in luxury fashion.