Inside André Leon Talley’s Funeral as Stars Get Emotional Paying Tribute to the Icon

On Friday, former creative director of Vogue André Leon Talley was laid to rest.

His Harlem funeral service was attended by big names like Naomi Campbell, Anna Wintour, Gayle King, Karlie Kloss, and Kimora Lee Simmons, who paid their final respects.

Naomi told “Extra,” “André Leon Talley… he loved this church, and this is where I used to come and he would love it.”

Kimora wiped away tears as she spoke about Talley, saying, “He’s our friend and our family, and I’m glad that you all are here, and we just want to honor his legacy.”

King opened up about the “moving” ceremony, saying, “Anna Wintour was brilliant. Marc Jacobs, Diane von Furstenberg, Naomi Campbell, and everybody got choked up when they spoke about him. He was one of a kind in the best of ways.”

Talley's close friend Paula Wallace, founder and president of the Savannah College of Art and Design, was one of the speakers. Talley had received an honorary doctorate from the university and was on SCAD's board of trustees.

Actress Sandra Bernhard posted an image of the memorial program, writing, "The beautiful program honoring the memory @andreltalley today we said farewell but never goodbye."

She also posted an image from inside the Harlem church revealing a choir and a cascade of white floral arrangements around a harp. She wrote, "Today we said goodbye to our beloved @andreltalley at his spiritual home in #Harlem #theabyssinianbaptistchurch resplendent holy heavenly a tribute befitting a man of his stature a trailblazer an icon & my inspiration many people spoke eloquently @themarcjacobs @dvf his cousin from N Carolina old friends @valeriesashford sang Ain’t Nothing like The Real Thing the choir did not stop hymns medleys Amazing Grace & every moment i could feel Andre in my eyes my skin my hair resting on me like a fine flowered mist he was present & I could weep in sadness & in joy for the years long friendship we shared & will carry forever in my heart farewell ALT."

Talley died in January at the age of 73 after being hospitalized in White Plains, New York.

There were conflicting reports about his cause of death. His longtime friend Dr. Yvonne Cormier told the Houston Chronicle that Talley died from COVID-19 complications, while Vogue reports he suffered a heart attack.