From Fat to Fabulous

Andre Leon Talley has made a career of helping other people look their best. As Vogue magazine's editor at large, he's been a front-row fixture at fashion shows in New York, Paris and Milan for almost 30 years. He's worked with some of the most celebrated names in fashion and Hollywood. Once a lean and lanky man, he admits to packing on the pounds over the last 10 years.

"I started noticing my weight gain around 1995 but I didn't do much about it," Andre says. In 2003, Andre says his weight spiraled out of control. "I was traveling a lot, and when you travel, you just don't focus on your diet or exercise."

At over 300 pounds, Andre's fashion designer friends created gorgeous garments to help him camouflage his excessive weight. "I had long coats made by Karl Lagerfeld," Andre says, "and I describe it as a little teepee tent that you could put a whole Lilliputian family in."