A woman with a bob cut and big sunglasses sits in the front row of almost every major fashion show.
She is, of course, the iconic Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine.
Wintour has been at the helm of American Vogue for more than 30 years, and also oversees content for all magazines at Condé Naste, which owns the fashion bible.
On November 3, the style mogul turns 75 years old. She shows no signs of slowing down.
Winter has not only influenced the way people dress in the United States, but has also helped shape fashion worldwide, including in Africa and India.
Of course, her ongoing legacy is not without its critics.
Is Wintour really the Devil Wears Prada?
Was the ruthless villain in the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada and the book of the same name written by Winter Tour assistant Lauren Weisberger directly inspired by Vogue’s editor-in-chief? There is a lot of speculation as to what will happen.
In this movie, a ruthless fashion president, played by Meryl Streep, terrorizes his employees.
Wintour herself labeled the book and film “fiction,” but a 2022 biography by Amy O’Dell reveals that the fashionista has an Extra Hot Grande Starbucks Latte and a Blueberry Muffin for breakfast every day. It has been confirmed that there was an assistant who made sure that the food was prepared on the desk.
Whatever the truth of the claim that Wintour is more than just a vague inspiration for a hit movie, the character certainly reflects the Vogue magazine head’s ability to reign supreme in the fashion world.
Worked as boss of Vogue magazine for nearly 40 years
Wintour was born in London in 1949 into a wealthy family. With the help of her father, who was editor of the daily London Evening Standard, she was able to get her first job as a fashion assistant at Harper’s & Queen magazine at the age of 20.
She eventually moved to New York City with her then-partner and continued to climb the editorial ladder at a number of publications.
In 1988, she was offered a position at US Vogue, a position she currently holds “indefinitely” — as Conde Naste said a few years ago, amidst rumors of her retirement.
When Wintour took the helm of the famous fashion magazine, its advertising revenue was threatened by a new women’s lifestyle magazine, Elle.
But thanks to Wintour, Vogue has carved out a niche of its own and risen to the top.
The publication has moved beyond just featuring models on its covers. Famous women in politics and Hollywood, such as Angelina Jolie and Hillary Clinton, quickly achieved stardom.
Since then, Vogue has featured men like Timothée Chalamet on its cover, as well as prominent activists like transgender LGTBQ+ rights activist Ariel Nicholson.
Margot Friedlander, a 102-year-old Holocaust survivor and advocate, was featured in German Vogue earlier this year.
And who can forget Kamala Harris’ Vogue cover controversy?
Wintour helped the magazine’s parent company, Condé Nast, launch a number of spin-off magazines, including Teen Vogue, which launched in 1993.
She also made a name for herself by associating the magazine with Manhattan’s many high-end philanthropic events, most notably the Met Gala, and helped turn the magazine into a star-studded celebrity event known as the East Coast’s answer to the Oscars. did.
Wintour has been praised for her ability to blend the world of fashion and Hollywood, helping fashion designers and brands appeal to the general public.
Wintour turns Vogue into a global brand
The original American edition of Vogue was first published in 1892, followed by the British edition in 1916.
Currently, Vogue magazine has more than 28 international editions. Brand expansion has shaped the global fashion scene.
Winter’s editorial decisions influenced how the magazine operated in each country.
The launch of Vogue Africa in 2021 brought African designers to the international spotlight.
Meanwhile, Vogue India was launched in 2007 under Wintour’s personal guidance.
Since then, the Indian edition has promoted the fusion of traditional Indian attire with contemporary style, helping to establish the country as a major player in the fashion industry.
Insufficient commitment to diversity
But Winter’s reign has not been without controversy.
US Vogue has been accused of underrepresenting people of color and not doing enough to celebrate diversity in a world known for its privilege and snobbery.
The industry, like any other, has been challenged to be more inclusive, especially since the killing of George Floyd in 2020.
Vogue has made a push in recent years to feature black women on its covers, including pop singer Rihanna and former first lady Michelle Obama, and Wintour herself has issued a statement supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.
But critics say Winter has the ability to do more than that.
According to a study by digital media outlet The Pudding, only three of the 81 models who appeared on the cover of Vogue between 2000 and 2005 were black.
Such numbers suggest that the status quo hasn’t changed much in Wintour’s 36 years at the helm, as whites still dominate the covers of fashion magazines.
A 2020 New York Times article about Condé Nast details the experiences of Black former employees.
Among other complaints, they said they were “faced with the ignorance and lazy stereotypes of their white superiors when the topic of coverage of black culture came up.”
Criticism of Vogue is not solely up to Wintour’s American magazine. After all, she is responsible for overseeing all international content.
The 2022 British Vogue cover, which featured nine African models, was criticized for championing Western beauty ideals and fetishizing black people. All of the models had Western hairstyles and their skin was said to have been edited to look darker.
For now, Mr. Winter will remain in his position “indefinitely.”
While her accomplishments as a strong editorial director and business-savvy leader are to be admired, the next generation will soon take the reins and bring new perspectives to fashion’s most influential publications. may be requested.
