When Atlanta artist and SCAD painting student Dylan Griggs set out to capture the late André Leon Talley, he wasn’t just painting a portrait. He was channeling a legacy. His five-foot acrylic work, “ALT,” now part of the exhibition “André Leon Talley: Style Is Forever” at SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film, radiates the same grandeur, confidence, and creative power that made Talley an international fashion icon.
“Honoring André Leon Talley through my painting was profoundly meaningful to me. It was an opportunity to celebrate Black excellence in a creative space—something Talley himself championed so powerfully throughout his life and career,” Griggs said.
The portrait presents Talley seated in his trademark red robes, surrounded by mannequins in couture. The composition—rooted in stylized realism—draws on Griggs’s command of bold color and layered emotion. “I wanted to capture his presence—the regal pose, the striking, confident expression, and his commanding stature,” he said.
“André Leon Talley was a fearless advocate for individuality and for standing unapologetically in one’s truth,”
Artist Dylan Griggs
The Icon
Talley, a legendary editor and creative force whose influence shaped decades of global fashion, was also a longtime mentor to SCAD students and faculty. The current exhibition, curated by Rafael Brauer Gomes, creative director of SCAD FASH museums, gathers nearly 70 pieces from Talley’s personal collection, including pieces from Tom Ford, Ralph Rucci, Manolo Blahnik, and Dapper Dan. Griggs’s “ALT” stands among these garments as both homage and evolution.
“André Leon Talley was a fearless advocate for individuality and for standing unapologetically in one’s truth,” Griggs said. “That spirit continues to inspire my own artistic journey. His legacy encouraged me to remain true to my signature style—one defined by bold color, strong contrast, and expressive abstraction—which allows me to communicate emotion and identity in a distinctive way.”
A senior pursuing his B.F.A. in painting, Griggs has already established a distinctive voice among emerging Atlanta artists. His approach, which melds realism with deconstruction and a keen sense of community, invites viewers to experience connection and joy. Griggs credits his time at SCAD with sharpening both his technical precision and his understanding of art’s cultural impact. Collaboration with faculty and fellow artists, he said, helped him build the confidence to approach subjects like Talley with both reverence and originality.
Read More:
• Director Chris Appelhans talks ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ ahead of SCAD AnimationFest
• SCAD Savannah Film Festival lineup includes ‘Bugonia,’ Sentimental Value’
“ALT,” valued at $6.500, will be available for auction through Nov. 7. Proceeds will benefit the André Leon Talley Circle of Friends Fund, an annual, donation-based program that supports SCAD’s fashion initiatives and student scholarships.
To bid on “ALT,” visit givebutter.com.
