Fashion insiders are supporting former Manolo Blahnik CEO George Malkemus in a dirty legal battle to oust Vogue veteran Andre Leon Talley from his New York mansion.
The Exclusive Tally has filed a blatant lawsuit in Westchester Supreme Court claiming that Malkemus and her business partner and husband Tony Urugitis unfairly forced her out of a $ 1 million White Plains home Was.
But Malkemus and Urgitis said they were the true owners, and had rented the picturesque colonial property to Tally, alleging that their rent was up to $ 500,000.
Fashion Insider, who asked not to be named, “I worked for George Malkemus and Tony Urgitis for many years, and can confidently say that [Talley’s] The allegations are complete content and nonsense.
“They are two of the most generous, loyal and forgiving people on the planet. They will give you shirts on their backs and never expect them to come back. He has maintained these qualities for decades, made up of so many egoistic vipers in an industry, amazing.
“They are also extremely private, so I can only imagine that they feel betrayed and sad that their friendship and devotion have been distorted into a web of lies.”
Malkemus – who has recently partnered with Sarah Jessica Parker His sjp shoe brand – Last year launched an eviction action against Tally to drive her out of the palace’s white plains property, where the famous fashion editor has been living since 2004.
The 72-year-old Tally has long insisted that the 11-room Colonial house with magnificent gardens at 75 Worthington Road is his own, The New York Times is telling in 2018, “This is my sanctuary” and he bought it in 2006. Ironically, the pride of place in the house includes several items from Blahnik, including a sketch of a shoe by the famous designer himself.
But court papers seen by The Post and Page Six alleged that the real owners were Malkemus and Urzitis, and that they bought the house in 2004 for just $ 1 million.
The pair had known Tally for nearly 40 years. Nevertheless, this past November, Malcolmus “initiated a non-payment proceeding in White Plains City Court” … court papers representing the state evicted from Tally against the house and Tally in the amount of $ 515,872.97. Demanded a judgment of money against.
“Complaint only tells [Talley’s] Side of the story. We have not yet filed our reply or counter notification, which will explain the actual story.
Edward David, Malcolmus and Urugitis Attorney
Tally – who was hired by Ana Wintour as creative director of Vogue in 1988, was the first African-American man to respond in the Westchester Supreme Court on January 25 by filing his case against Malcolmus and Urugitis.
He claims the pair, who were “longtime trusted friends,” agreed to buy a home for him and title once, when they paid him a $ 1,020,000 purchase price.
The papers state that “over time, as friends, Tally and Malkemus assisted each other … not only in professional matters, but also in personal matters …” [Talley] Rose in the fashion world and found that her circumstances are constantly changing and there is a demand for growth in her time. “
The papers allege that in 1999, Tally needed to buy a new car, but was unable to do so due to a “problem with his credit”. Malkemus allegedly offered to buy the car on his behalf, using $ 45,000 in funds provided by Tally.
Then in 2004, Tally was renting a house that developed a mold problem and needed to find a new place near New York. “At the time, Tally’s work hours were particularly demanding and she could not obtain traditional financing,” the lawsuit claims.
Instead, Tally’s lawsuit alleges, Malcolmus and Urgitis entered into a “gentleman agreement” and that Talali would provide a payment of $ 120,000 and that Malkemus and Urgitis “Talley would buy their own home to benefit” Will pay and use the funds. “
The former Vogue Editor-at-Large’s legal paperwork claimed, “The parties agreed that Tally would occupy, care for and care for the house in particular. It was agreed and always understood that Tally, of the time Also, at this point, the defendants will ‘pay off’ the balance of the purchase price paid. [the] The title would then be formally transferred to Tally … In the meantime, the defendants held the title for profitable ownership of Tally. “
He claims he has lived at the house since his settlement and has paid more than the purchase price, a total of $ 1,075,588 by January 2020, with his court papers stating that Tally has retained hundreds of thousands of dollars to retain third parties Has paid of. Home improvement “
Tally’s filing also alleges, “This action arises from the defendants’ improper attempt to evict Tally from a house … it is right that she sell the property.”
The papers detail a very unusual arrangement, “While Tally has resided in the house from 2004 to the present, he has made episodic payments to defendants that he deemed an equity payment.
“The timing and amount of these episodic payments was based on Tally’s cash flow… Tally never made these payments to defendants on a monthly basis, and they were not asked.”
Talley also alleged in the lawsuit that he personally spent $ 200,000 to maintain the home, including replacing the roof, windows, shutters and boilers.
“Despite this,” court papers go on, “In or around March of 2020, defendants began to discuss with Tally their interest in selling the house for their own financial gain. They paid him extra. To do or vacate the house so that it can be sold to a third party.
Malcolmus filed suit seeking Tally’s removal and payment of more than one and a half million dollars.
“Since 2004 Tally has always worked with understanding the house, and that the arrangement can be formalized upon the repayment of the purchase price of the home.”
But “because writing this promise was not reduced, Tally has no adequate measure of law.” He is demanding that he be allowed to continue living in the house and the title be transferred to him.
In 2014 Tally retired from full-time editing, and more recently taught remotely at the Parsons School of Design in Paris. Real estate is hardly the only dramatic area of his life: last year he published a banging book, “The Chiffon Trench: A Memoir, ”Who was a critic of Wintour. He describes his relationship with her “In an iceberg.”
Upon reaching page six, Edward David, a lawyer for Malcolmus and Urugitis, said, “The complaint itself states [Talley’s] Side of the story. We have not yet filed our reply or counter notification, which will explain the actual story.
“Remember, the initial complaint was for eviction in Greenberg Town Court. Malkemus and Urugitis are the record owners of the home and want to sell it. The tally is over $ 300,000 in rent. He is desperate to live and [his team] Meditated on his ‘story’.
Tally’s attorney, Eric Weinic, said, “The court filing case shows that Mr. Tally has a very strong case, and we fully expect him to remain in this unfortunate dispute.”
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