NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the pages of Vogue to the runways of Paris, this “captivating” (Time) memoir by a legendary style icon captures the fashion world from the inside out, in its most glamorous and most cutthroat moments.
“The Chiffon Trenches honestly and candidly captures fifty sublime years of fashion.”—Manolo Blahnik
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR • Fortune • Garden & Gun • New York Post
During André Leon Talley’s first magazine job, alongside Andy Warhol at Interview, a fateful meeting with Karl Lagerfeld began a decades-long friendship with the enigmatic, often caustic designer. Propelled into the upper echelons by his knowledge and adoration of fashion, André moved to Paris as bureau chief of John Fairchild’s Women’s Wear Daily, befriending fashion’s most important designers (Halston, Yves Saint Laurent, Oscar de la Renta). But as André made friends, he also made enemies. A racially tinged encounter with a member of the house of Yves Saint Laurent sent him back to New York and into the offices of Vogue under Grace Mirabella.
There, he eventually became creative director, developing an unlikely but intimate friendship with Anna Wintour. As she rose to the top of Vogue’s masthead, André also ascended, and soon became the most influential man in fashion.
The Chiffon Trenches offers a candid look at the who’s who of the last fifty years of fashion. At once ruthless and empathetic, this engaging memoir tells with raw honesty the story of how André not only survived the brutal style landscape but thrived—despite racism, illicit rumors, and all the other challenges of this notoriously cutthroat industry—to become one of the most renowned voices and faces in fashion.
Woven throughout the book are also André’s own personal struggles that impacted him over the decades, along with intimate stories of those he turned to for inspiration (Diana Vreeland, Diane von Fürstenberg, Lee Radziwill, to name a few), and of course his Southern roots and faith, which guided him since childhood.
The result is a highly compelling read that captures the essence of a world few of us will ever have real access to, but one that we all want to know oh so much more about.
From the Publisher
Publisher : Ballantine Books
Publication date : April 27, 2021
Language : English
Print length : 320 pages
ISBN-10 : 059312927X
ISBN-13 : 978-0593129272
Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
Dimensions : 5.2 x 0.7 x 8 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #64,099 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #53 in Fashion History #94 in Fashion Design #829 in Memoirs (Books)
Customer Reviews: 4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars (4,661) var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });
Della Mac –
This is an incredibly wonderful book!!!
I have always been captivated by fashion, love the magazines, love the fashion shows, love fashion!!! I have subscribed to nearly every fashion magazine you could think of and have been mesmerized by Ms. Wintour and her eclectic collection of the very best minds in fashion, but I had no idea that many of the best in fashion had actually found her. Mr. Andre Leon Talley is an amazing individual, who was not only born with the ever-elusive genetic gene for impeccable fashion, but for taste as well. I never realized he was not only a fashion giant, but such an intelligent and sensitive individual as well. Imagine a small child growing up in the Jim Crow south, moving on in life to attain a scholarship to Brown University, securing a graduate degree in French Literature and then going to New York to land an internship under the iconic Diana Vreeland! I thought that only happened in movies, but being who he is, both artistically and intellectually, how could it not have happened? It was his destiny. He takes us on this journey with him and tells us everything, describes all the wonderful places he has been, all the interesting people he has known and even describes the luscious fashion he experiences along the way, all in glorious detail. I can see everything in my mind’s eye. He leaves nothing out, and no one out, which is the foundation of an exceptional read. I went to bed every night with this wonderful book and sometimes read until my eyes hurt, but also tried to make it last. I was sad when it was over, because I wanted it to go on. I recommend this book to everyone who loves everything beautiful. The delightful Mr. Talley puts it all out there, thorns and all, for us to enjoy and it is wondrous!!
MaryM –
A fun read, with a surprisingly relatable narrator
The author spills the tea and opens the door to the world of fashion, revealing the beauty and the dirty underbelly of the beast. What makes the book compelling, however, is the humanity of its narrator and subject. Talley possesses knowledge and passion, as well as a soul searching for the beauty and love in all around him. As written here, he seems to own a purity of eye and heart that is lacking in Lagerfeld and Wintour, who obviously thrive on power, control, and manipulation. Seems likely that this is what led to the demise of these relationships, as these two probably realized they did not compare favorably. Certainly Wintour has driven Vogue straight into the toilet – no beauty or value to be had. He doesn’t seem to see it, but I suspect he was a threat to her – imagine Vogue under his leadership, a feast for the senses. His writing is wonderful, and he is open and vulnerable about his struggles. Yeah he’s a bit of a diva, but I wanted to give him a hug. The last line is an arrow straight to the heart and speaks to the humanity in us all.
Julia Felix –
Interesting book
Talley has lived a fascinating life. I’m no follower of fashion, so I never heard of him before I read a review of his book. His passion for fashion leaps from every page where he describes the outfits his acquaintances wore – the fabrics, the designer, the style. If you’re looking for dirt/gossip about the industry, read another book. This is more about a man who came from a relatively humble background who blazed a trail into the upper echelons of international fashion and became friends with just about every famous designer and wrote for most of the important fashion publications – Women’s Wear Daily, Vogue, Vanity Fair. He’s quite honest about his life and his shortcomings. My only criticism is I started losing interest towards the end. There’s only so many descriptions of people’s clothes that I want to read.
Christina G. –
ALT at his finest
I loved reading Chiffon Trenches- I couldn’t put it down! Each chapter was like reading Talley’s diary, it was deeply personal, heartfelt and genuine- like talking to a best friend. His writing style left me in awe. There are some beautiful photos included (color and black and white) of ALT’s memorable, fashionable moments. I wish there were more photos- I kept grabbing my phone to look up notable people and glamorous outfits!ALT is a fashion icon and trail blazer on so many levels! I felt him pulling at my heart while I read. He doesn’t get nearly the praise that the rightfully deserves- and has spent an entire lifetime upholding his spotless reputation in a devious industry. BRAVO TALLEY!
Belesya –
I couldn’t put it off, so entertaining and sincere. It is more than a book about fashion, he does raises the questions of racism, diversity and human relations vs business
Jesús. –
Gran libro autobiográfico en el que André relata sus peripecias en el mundo de la moda con muchas anécdotas. De gran nivel los cotilleos de su relación con Anna Wintour.Si te gusta el mundo de la moda , disfrutaras la lectura.
HUGO –
A fashion education
samantha –
I enjoyed reading Chiffon Trenches, which gave an insider’s perspective on iconic fashion times, stories and people. It might seem random and rambling at times but all in all, an entertaining, worthy read.
Amazon Customer –
I was so excited to have this book on my shelf and just to pick it up. I’ve always loved ALT ever since seeing him on American’s Next Top Model (yes, I am young!) and I’ve always had huge respect for him and his hustle in the fashion industry. Reading his story is not only a window to that world but also a window to a person I’ve always admired. I’m still not finished but ALT, if you read this, I will always love and support you. It saddens me to see such a legendary person like you being treated like disposable meat. You are a visionary, an artist and most important of all; a loyal and sweet person.Regarding the book itself, delivery was fast and the book was amazing quality. I would absolutely recommend this product for both its appearance as well as the author himself. ALT has a beautiful way of phrasing things. He’s an amazing writer and I’m excited to see what else he would be writing in future.