For this project, I joined fellow SCAD students and alumni who were commissioned to create Moleskine notebook designs in honor of Andre Leon Talley's legacy. We each created our own unique concepts based on our research of and individual connections to Talley's life and impact. I'm unbelievably thrilled to share that, after careful consideration by SCAD and Moleskine, my entry was selected as the winning design.

My design concept pays homage to both Andre Leon Talley’s personal and professional history with the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as well as the incredible impact this institution has had on the fashion industry.

The wraparound composition references the iconic steps and front entrance of The MET, as does the recurring repetitive archway motif often used to showcase their different fashion exhibits. The top of the frame and overall decorative elements included in the composition are inspired by different patterns and designs that Andre Leon Talley wore, some of which will be displayed at SCAD. The patterns designed for the wrap of the notebook and the back inside cover are also derived from this same influence. On the back cover wrap you will find my favorite quote of Andre’s, meant to both inspire the notebook owner and remember  Talley's incredible influence and approach to life. 

 Inside the front cover you will find a dedication by SCAD explaining their commitment to honoring Andre's legacy paired with an illustration thoughtfully dedicated to his story. His collection of luxury, monogrammed, and matching- but tasteful-  luggage was infamous, but also very important to him: when he first acquired them, they represented his arrival into success. On the back inside cover is the full iteration of the pattern I designed specifically for and inspired by Andre. 

Finally, without the reusable wrap, you will see illustrations of Andre himself filling each frame with his larger-than-life personality and unmistakable, yet refined, silhouette. I chose to use this iterative depiction of him as a call back to a style of composition that vintage fashion illustrators often used. This represents Andre’s constant balance of respecting tradition while still striving to be a trailblazer pushing fashion forward.

From his early days as a volunteer at The MET to later attending its Gala, Andre touched every corner of the fashion world. Therefore, this concept focuses on showing the wide range of his legacy, both in impact and visual style.