André Leon Talley was more than a fashion icon — he was an arbiter of style, culture, intellect, and mentorship. His influence was bold, global, and deeply personal. Rising from his Southern roots in North Carolina, Talley launched an unparalleled career that began with Diana Vreeland at The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute and traversed through pop culture with Andy Warhol at The Factory and into the highest echelons of style with Anna Wintour at Vogue. Talley's deep intellect, flair for language, and skill at contextualizing contemporary design within the richness of history established his long reign as fashion's kingmaker. In his columns and editorials, he stirred audiences to view aesthetics through a more expansive lens of beauty, identity, authenticity, and empowerment. Talley was also a beloved friend and mentor at the Savannah College of Art and Design, where he shared his knowledge and connections freely, empowering generations of students. Across his long partnership with SCAD, Talley curated acclaimed exhibitions and welcomed renowned designers to the university to share their insights, enriching the student experience while advancing cultural dialogue and exchange. Talley's generosity was undeniable, and his legacy continues to inspire the university community and beyond.

Paula Wallace founded the Savannah College of Art and Design in 1978. Since being named president and CEO in 2000, she has more than tripled enrollment, elevated the SCAD alumni employment rate to 99%, and led the creation of new SCAD locations in the U.S. and Europe, as well as the online learning platform SCADnow. As the world's most comprehensive university for creative professions, SCAD enrolls more than 18,500 students. Wallace's impact on the creative industries is vast. In addition to leading the development of more than 100 academic degree programs, she created the SCAD Savannah Film Festival, the world's largest university-run film festival, as well as signature events SCAD TVfest, SCAD AnimationFest, SCAD deFINE ART, and the SCAD FASHION show, each specially designed to launch the careers of SCAD students. Wallace has also led the creation of four university museums on two continents, including SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film in Atlanta, SCAD FASH Lacoste, and the SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah, widely recognized as the top university museums in the world. Wallace also serves as executive producer for SCAD films, overseeing productions such as Pierre Cardin: Le Futur, The First Monday in May, Funny Face, The Leopard, and Ovation for Oscar, among others. In 2025, she received the Presidential Citizens Medal, the second-highest civilian award in the U.S. Wallace has also been named an honorary member of the American Institute of Architects and a Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques by the French Embassy to the U.S., among other recognitions including the National Trust for Historic Preservation's highest honor, the Louise du Pont Crowninshield Award.

In an op-ed for Teen Vogue, Zach Stafford reflected on André Leon Talley's passing and the significance of his life and work, contributing both to Talley's living legacy and to social discourse interrogating racism in the fashion industry. Stafford's insight and personal connection to Talley infuse André Leon Talley: Style Is Forever with candor and compassion. In 2022, Stafford won a Tony Award as a co-producer of A Strange Loop on Broadway and launched the podcast Vibe Check, covering news and culture from a Black, queer perspective.

Clay Haskell is an award-winning filmmaker celebrated for thought-provoking, character-driven stories rendered as visual poetry. Haskell shot his debut feature film Portrait of a Zombie on location in Dublin in 2012. Haskell, a graduate of the SCAD film program, has also lensed the film Awaken (2018), executive produced by Terrence Malick. His debut short film Lyra Lezama, shot in Havana, Cuba, was honored at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival in 2005. Haskell's work includes the short film Isabel Toledo: Echoes and Vibrations (2022), nominated for Best Documentary at the London Fashion Film Festival.