Docent tour of SCAD FASH’s André Leon Talley 'Style Is Forever' Exhibit

Our ‘bonus’ February event is a docent-led tour of SCAD FASH’s André Leon Talley: Style Is Forever Exhibit before it closes.

This exhibit is no 'costumes behind glass' parade, but a full-bodied encounter with a man who treated clothes as cultural argument. Anchored by nearly 70 looks from Talley’s own wardrobe (ready-to-wear, couture, and bespoke), the show moves between the public theater of fashion (Met Gala grandeur, front-row mythmaking) and the more intimate occasions where style becomes autobiography. The curatorial through-line is Talley’s insistence that a man can dress ‘with splendor’ and be admired for it -an ethos that turns the galleries into something like a runway and a reading room, with photographs, documents, and ephemera giving the garments their proper context and bite.

What makes it more than a greatest-hits closet raid is the way it frames André Leon Talley as both kingmaker and self-made icon: a figure who rose from Durham’s church aisles (his “first runways,” per ArtsATL) into the industry’s inner sanctum, then used that perch to translate fashion into narrative, lineage, and power. The installation leans into his physical and vocal presence: custom mannequins modeled in his likeness and audio of Talley himself create the feeling that you’re not just looking at garments, you’re hearing the mind that wore them.

For the LGBTQ+ community, Talley’s style reads as more than flamboyance; it’s armor, theater, and a refusal to shrink, a sensibility many will remember from his pop-cultural visibility (including judging stints on RuPaul's Drag Race).

Culture Explorer Tony’s take: ‘Tally was also a frequent judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race and was an important leader in the SCAD fashion department providing insight and feedback to their students regularly. His connection to Georgia and fashion here is also important. This is just pure fun and flamboyance along with history. Don't miss it.’

Event Plan

11:00 – Brunch – The Hive (confirmed)

• Address: 1845 Peachtree Rd NW, Atlanta, GA 30309
• The restaurant is a 5-minute drive to the Museum
• We have a confirmed reservation for 12 people.
• FYI: This restaurant will not issue separate checks for large groups. You’ll settle up with me.

1:30 – SCAD FASH Exhibit docent tour, just for our group

• Address: 1600 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30309
• Group Admission is $5.00 per person – includes admission and docent-led tour (you will pay me)

Hope to see some of you there.