The Collection of André Leon Talley to Be Auctioned to Benefit Black Churches

One year after his death, fashion pieces from the estate of André Leon Talley will head to auction at Christie's beginning this month.

This month, fashion enthusiasts will be able to bid on pieces from late couture aficionado André Leon Talley. Nearly one year after his death, auction company Christie's has announced a series of in-person and online auctions to benefit causes that Talley supported throughout his life, including the Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York and Mount Sinai Baptist Church in North Carolina. With the estate sale estimated to generate $725,000, pieces in Talley's collection include three from pop visual artist Andy Warhol, Louis Vuitton trunks, Chanel jewelry and more.

"Andre Leon Talley was a fervent student of fashion, luxury, and French culture," Rachel Koffsky, the international head of handbags at Christie's, told Town & Country. "Not only do these trunks exemplify this, but they were also constant fixtures throughout his life. His collection developed as he developed within the fashion industry."

Special pieces from the collection were gifted to Talley, some which the Washington, D.C. native chronicled in his 2020 memoir, The Chiffon Trenches.

Talley – who was the first Black creative director at Vogue from 1988 to 1995 – died on January 18, 2022 in White Plains, New York due to complications of a heart attack and COVID-19.

The Christie's sale will begin its tour on Wednesday, January 18 in Palm Beach, Florida, with a stop in Paris on January 23 before concluding on February 9 in New York. "This tour will honor André Leon Talley’s life and legacy," Cathy Busch, Christie’s Deputy Chairman and Head of Midwest told T&C. "As a creative genius, as a force for change, and as an individual who savored beauty and luxury in all forms."