A Legacy in Capes and Caftans: SCAD and Pharrell Williams Honor André Leon Talley
CREDIT: Photo by Derek White/Getty Images for Savannah College of Art and Design
The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) has long been a beacon for creative minds, and on Tuesday, October 14th, 2025, its SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film became a sanctuary of memory and magnificence. The university hosted a poignant and glamorous evening to honor the indelible legacy of André Leon Talley, the visionary creative director, legendary style icon, and a cherished friend to the institution.
The event drew a constellation of luminaries from the worlds of fashion, music, and art, including SCAD President Paula Wallace, Veronica Webb, Bethann Hardison, Tricky Stewart, The-Dream, Ashley Longshore, Jonathan Becker, Alexandra Kotur, Robert Fairer, Antoine Gregory, Daniel Martin, Kyle Smith, Hamish Bowles, Will Welch, Teri Agins, Raul Lopez, Stefano Tonchi, and Law Roach. They gathered not to mourn, but to celebrate a man whose life was a monumental work of art.
The evening commenced with a powerful tribute: the presentation of the 2025 André Leon Talley Lifetime Achievement Award to Pharrell Williams. In bestowing this honor, the award recognized a kindred spirit to Talley—a GRAMMY Award-winning, Academy Award-nominated musician and filmmaker whose influence as a designer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist has profoundly shaped global culture.
SCAD President Paula Wallace offered heartfelt remarks on the enduring impact of both Talley and Williams. The ceremony then transitioned into an insightful conversation with Williams, joined by his frequent collaborator, Grammy Award–winning artist The-Dream. Moderated by Stephanie Sutton, Director of Engagement & Communications at YELLOW, the dialogue served as a retrospective on Williams' extraordinary creative journey, exploring the threads of innovation, storytelling, and cultural impact that connect his work to Talley’s own vast legacy.
Hamish Bowle
Following the presentation, guests were invited to the exclusive VIP opening of the university’s landmark exhibition, André Leon Talley: Style is Forever. Walking into the gallery was like stepping into ALT’s magnificent closet and, by extension, his brilliant mind. The legacy exhibition presents an expertly curated selection of Talley's most iconic wardrobe pieces—a symphony of capes, caftans, and exquisite tailoring from designers he championed and who championed him.
The Dream, SCAD President Paula Wallace, Pharrell Williams
On display are treasures from Tom Ford, Ralph Rucci, Manolo Blahnik, Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, Diane von Furstenberg, Valentino, Huntsman Savile Row, Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquière, Vivienne Westwood, and Dapper Dan. These garments, displayed alongside cherished mementos and ephemera, are more than fashion; they are artifacts of a life lived at the epicenter of style.
Kyle Smith [right], Fashion at the NFL
Made possible through Talley’s extraordinary bequest to the SCAD Permanent Collection, the exhibition solidifies his lasting gift to generations of future students and scholars—a masterclass in audacious personal style and intellectual curiosity. The exhibition is detailed in a stunning accompanying catalogue produced by SCAD University Press and published by Rizzoli Electa.
As the night deepened, the celebration continued with an elegant reception at the museum, followed by an intimate dinner at the SCAD Art Sales Gallery, where stories of André’s wit, wisdom, and unparalleled presence filled the room.
Stefano Tonchi
André Leon Talley: Style Is Forever is on view at the SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film in Atlanta from October 15, 2025, through March 1, 2026. The title says it all; for a man who understood style as an eternal force, his own truly is.