The Chiffon Trenches: A Memoir

I have been following ALT since his days writing the "Style Faxer" column for Vogue, in the 1980s. I was never into fashion and didn't really care about the content. It was just that I was completely staggered by his predicament as a gay Black men in the upper echelons of the fashion world. At a time when there weren't even Black people on television, I secretly hoped he would share insight as to what it was actually like to be him -- what life was like, for him.The book does this is an unusually hypnotic way. Many have criticized ALT's lack of introspection and the lack of overt criticism of the fashion world and race. Those readers have failed to realize that the extremely marginalized and precarious position he held as a gay, Black man from the American South who didn't have a financial parachute -- unlike most in fashion with wealthy or aristocratic lineages -- created his tendency to circumspection and caution; depth and introspection are also not the domains of the fashion world, while insincerity and disposeability are (consider his relationships with Wintour and Lagerfeld). What ALT achieved for decades is statistically anomalous and there really isn't anyone who has achieved quite what he has in the fashion world. As I read, I also became aware of the reason for his formidable reputation: he is practically an encyclopedia of fashion! He rattles off the outfits of others from decades previous, right down to the label, collection, and fabric! He is a savant. At the beginning of the book, I perceived his position as one of a glorified servant to well-heeled Whites (Regrettably, this assessment wasn't completely inaccurate. Upon first meeting, Diana Vreeland wrote the words, "The Helper" on a notepad -- only two letters away from the words, "The Help"). As I continued to read, I marveled at his tenacity, resilience, perception, and people skills; I also realized that his position was necessarily limited by those in power who were overwhelmingly White and wealthy. How else should he have conducted himself? What else should he have done? Yes, there's a great deal of avarice and superficiality in the book (it can get tiresome to hear the constant name-dropping and rattling off of designer looks), but the avarice, the desire for beauty is ALT's metier. He has found a calling and dedicated his life to it, whatever others think of the domain. ALT should warrant profound respect and admiration, not judgment or dismissiveness.

Just need TIME to read it !!!! Otherwise the book was received in a perfect condition!!!!thks

What a lovely book! A friend of mine dismissed it as “an overdose of name dropping”, but I didn’t feel that at all. I loved discovering the personalities of so many designers.While this book is an autobiography, I read it more as an expose on the design community. There seem to be extremes of kindness and generosity juxtaposed against incredibly cruel behavior toward those these couture designers called friends. It reminds one that often great talent belongs to individuals of very fragile egos.I was delighted by ALT’s life and his description of it. Though I was also sad that he - and others - felt so betrayed and abandoned by Vogue. I wouldn’t deal well with that at all. At the heart of kindness is gratitude for what we have, I believe. And it seems that these talented and influential people are so unsure of what they have they spend all their time seeking more and are never able to appreciate their accomplishments.At first it seemed such a joyful book, but it descends into a diatribe against individuals who ceased to show kindness or appreciation to ALT. I felt sad that a man of such immense talent was just abandoned, but I also thought he seemed happier enjoying doing good in the community - church, fashion, charity - than he seemed for much of the book.

I've always viewed Andre Leon Talley as larger than life, an icon of the fashion world, just by his association with Vogue (though, to be honest, I didn't know he was a part of Vogue, since I'd first seen him in Vanity Fair, in the 90s). I'm glad I didn't read his previous autobiography (ALT) first; I would have been sorely disappointed. This book is what I was looking for from him - I wanted his perspective on the fashion world and I wanted to know how he became a part of it.ALT is very descriptive about the fashions of the time period he speaks of; you can't help but follow along with him in your imagination. He is equally descriptive about his relationships with Anna Wintour, Karl Lagerfeld, Diana Vreeland, Lee Radziwill, Naomi Campbell, and countless other Boldfaced Names in Fashion. I appreciated his honest appraisal of talents like Alexander McQueen, John Galliano and Tom Ford; especially Galliano, who would have been one heck of a tour de force in fashion, if his outburst hadn't waylaid him. I loved reading about his honest struggles with his weight and his mother; as someone with a fractured relationship with my father before he died, I could relate. Also - I live in the South - and ALT's description of being a black man in the South was easily relatable, as I've witnessed much of what he's experienced here.I finished reading this just as the BLM protests started, and I've often wondered what ALT would think of it now, especially with Anna Wintour now being under the gun at Conde Nast and the Bon Appetit/Adam Rapoport scandal.I'm far from being a fashion hound - my love of name brands comes with my handbags. Nope, I'm a good old shorts-and-tank top kind of gal, but I've admired ALT from afar since the 90s. It was easy for me to pick up this book once I saw it. I'd recommend reading this - it's a well-rounded look inside the running of a fashion magazine, and being a part of that world.

It’s was such a wonderful read, zipped right through it. Andre was a wonderful person with great stories to tell. Andre seemed very true and honest in his writing.

One of the few journalists/editors who shares his personal experience with no censorship. It is a bitter memoir, but an interesting one. ALT is no longer afraid to let down Anna Wintour and the beautiful people of the fashion world of wich he has been a part, but he himself is a hypocrite. He rejects that world, only after he has been tossed out.

A fashion education

A really good book

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.