André Leon Talley. Photo by ImaxTree.

Before the
Fendi show, I caught up with Andre Leon Talley to talk street style, what jumping the shark actually means, and what inspires him.
What shows are you excited for this week? "I’m excited for many shows. I can’t really say—I just got here. I’m here until the very end. I’m sure I’ll be excited by many things. I’m looking forward to
Prada, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana and those will be very exciting shows. And I’m also looking forward to a traditional show, Missoni."
You’re often featured on street style blogs. Why do you think street style is so special? "Street style has a youthful connotation—it’s the opposite of high style. It’s fun, it’s not static. It should be in perpetual movement. It’s a very important thing."
It seems as though street style has been co-opted by the mainstream—do you think street style is in danger of jumping the shark? "See, jumping the shark, I don’t exactly know what that means—but I know it’s a popular term. Tell me what it means."
Um, it’s from Happy Days— "I don’t know
Happy Days. Tell me what jump the shark means."
Sure, Fonzi on Happy Days, towards the end of the series, he was surfing and he jumped over a shark. And that’s when the show went off the rails. So, when a TV show goes bad, that’s jumping the shark. "Oh, okay. So ask me the question again."
Do you think street style is in danger of jumping the shark? "I don’t think it’s possible, because there are no rules—so it’s okay.
Street style is individual style." [At this moment, Cathy Horyn walks up behind us. “I got the interview!” she yells as ALT, referring to Karl Lagerfeld. “Good for you!” He replies, laughing. “You got backstage! And there he was, waiting.”]
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