*Naomi Campbell is mourning the loss of fashion icon André Leon Talley, who died Tuesday of an undisclosed illness at the age of 73.
Campbell shared several photos of the pair on Instagram Thursday, along with a lengthy caption about their friendship. She began the post, “Words cannot describe what it feels like knowing you are no longer with us in the physical form, like everyone who loves you my heart skipped a beat. When I heard I reached out to @dvf [Diane von Fürstenberg] who let me know you went peacefully without pain.”
Read her full message below.
READ MORE: Fashion Icon André Leon Talley Dead After Battle with Unknown Illness
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The fashion legend and former Vogue creative director had been in the hospital battling an unknown illness prior to his death on Tuesday, TMZ reported. Talley’s death was announced on his official Instagram page in a lengthy message that states: “It is with great sadness we announce the passing of André Leon Talley on January 18, 2022 in New York. Mr. Talley was the larger-than-life, longtime creative director at Vogue during its rise to dominance as the world’s fashion bible.”
Talley is best known for serving as editor-at-large at Vogue. In her Instagram message, Campbell shared a memory from her last trip with Talley in 2019, when the pair traveled to Nigeria.
“Everyone said you would cancel on me last minute and I refused to believe .. and there you came to Lagos with a wheelchair and all, and you embraced everyone and everyone embraced you,” she wrote. “You were animated, fun and seeing all the young Nigerian creatives sitting at your feet taking notes with admiration, to going to church on Easter Sunday in Lagos of which you said coming to Africa was like an epiphany for you .. Seeing you so happy and in your zone is how I choose to remember you.”
“Your unconditional love and support has never wavered, from encouraging me to pick up the phone and calling Anna Wintour and asking for my first American vogue cover September issue…” she added, “to just sitting in bed ordering room service watching tv, you were Andre a ray of light filled with laughter and positivity that played a huge impact of our ever lasting family ship.”
“Andre is on his way to the otherside and will drape you all in divine larger than life luxury. I love you always,” Campbell concluded. “REST EASY KING.”
