Anna Wintour
Anna Wintour is a highly influential figure in the global fashion industry, best known for her role as the editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine since 1988. Born on November 3, 1949, in Hampstead, London, Wintour was educated at prestigious institutions, including the North London Collegiate School and Queen's College. She began her career in the 1970s as an editorial assistant and steadily climbed the ranks in various fashion publications, eventually moving to New York to work with Harper's Bazaar and British Vogue.
Wintour is recognized for modernizing Vogue by featuring more celebrities and appealing to working women, which helped solidify the magazine's status as a leading fashion publication. Her distinctive bob hairstyle and sunglasses have become iconic, while her reputation for being assertive and demanding has garnered her the nickname "Nuclear Winter." Beyond her editorial accomplishments, Wintour has been active in philanthropic efforts, notably raising significant funds for AIDS research and the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, which was named in her honor.
In addition to her editorial achievements, she has held key positions within Condé Nast and received numerous accolades, including being appointed to the Order of the British Empire and recognized as a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour. Wintour's personal life includes two children and two marriages, the latter of which ended in divorce in 2020. Her impact on fashion continues to resonate, making her a pivotal figure in both the industry and cultural discourse.
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Subject Terms
Anna Wintour
Editor of Vogue magazine
- Born: November 3, 1949
- Place of Birth: Place of birth: London, England
Education: North London Collegiate School; Queen’s College, London
Significance: Anna Wintour became a prominent force in the global fashion industry and served as editor in chief of Vogue magazine. Wintour and her Vogue staff were featured in the documentary The September Issue. She was also thought to be the inspiration for one of the main characters in the book, and subsequent movie, The Devil Wears Prada.
Background
Anna Wintour was born on November 3, 1949, in Hampstead, London, England. Her mother was an American named Elinor, and her father was a British newspaper editor named Charles Wintour. Wintour had four siblings: Patrick, James, Nora, and Gerald, who was killed in a car crash as a child. Wintour attended the North London Collegiate School and Queen’s College in London. She had many opportunities because of her family’s connections and wealth, but she dropped out of finishing school to start her own career.
In the 1970s, she started as an editorial assistant at Harpers and Queen. Wintour worked her way up in the company, and she moved to New York to work at Harper’s Bazaar, a related publication, as fashion editor. In 1975, after working at Harper’s for only nine months, she was fired. She remained in the magazine industry, however, and eventually held jobs at Home and Garden, British Vogue, and other publications.
Life’s Work
In 1988, Wintour was named editor in chief of Vogue magazine. She took the job wanting to change Vogue’s direction. She put more celebrities on the magazine’s cover and targeted the content toward working women. Being named to the highest position at the iconic fashion magazine put Wintour at the heart of the US fashion world. She helped launch the careers of notable designers such as Marc Jacobs.
During her time heading Vogue, Wintour gained notoriety for her personality and her personal style. Wintour has worn the same bobbed hairstyle since she was roughly fifteen years old. She is also well known for wearing sunglasses. Wintour received the nickname "Nuclear Winter" from some in the press because of her alleged aloof, assertive style. In 2003, Wintour’s former assistant, Lauren Weisberger, published the book The Devil Wears Prada. The book, which was turned into a movie in 2006, was a thinly veiled account of Weisberger’s time working as Wintour’s assistant. The book only furthered Wintour’s reputation for being difficult and demanding. In 2009, the documentary The September Issue, directed by R. J. Cutler, was released. The film chronicled Wintour and her staff creating the September 2007 issue of Vogue.
In 2013, Wintour gained even more power at Condé Nast, the parent company of Vogue. She was named Condé Nast’s artistic director, allowing her to manage editors at all the company’s publications, including the New Yorker, GQ, Bon Appétit, and Vanity Fair.
Throughout her life, Wintour used her powerful career to support causes that were important to her. She helped raise millions of dollars for AIDS research after becoming Vogue’s editor in chief. She also raised roughly $130 million for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, which was renamed the Anna Wintour Costume Center in honor of her commitment to the organization.
Wintour also used her powerful position to raise money for and support political candidates. She supported Hillary Clinton when she ran for senator in New York State. Wintour also supported President Barack Obama. She raised money for President Obama’s reelection campaign in 2012, and she continued to raise money for the Democratic Party after he was elected. In 2014, Wintour was awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award at the British Fashion Awards. She was also appointed to the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to the fashion industry.
In 2020, Condé Nast made Wintour its worldwide chief content officer. In 2023, she was named a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour for services to fashion by King Charles III. During the same year, she announced that Vogue World 2023 would take place in London on September 14. First Lady Dr. Jill Biden publicly praised Wintour at the beginning of Fashion Week in 2024.
Impact
Wintour helped cement American Vogue as one of the most important fashion publications in the world. She helped increase sales of the magazine when she first took over as editor-in-chief. She has also had an important impact on the fashion industry itself by helping some designers advance their careers. In addition, she has raised money to help young designers who struggle to start their careers.
Personal Life
Wintour married David Shaffer, a child psychologist, in 1984. Shaffer was chief of the child psychiatry department at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center and the New York State Psychiatric Institute. The couple had two children: Charles, born in 1987, and Katherine, better known as Bee, who was born in 1989. Bee became a journalist and part of the American fashion world. Wintour and Shaffer divorced in 1999. Wintour began a relationship with J. Shelby Bryan, a Texan venture capitalist, in 2004. They married that year but divorced in 2020.
Bibliography
"Anna Wintour." Glamour. Condé Nast Publications, n.d. Web. 5 May 2016.
"Anna Wintour Is Wed to a Child Psychiatrist." New York Times. New York Times, 8 Sept. 1984. Web. 5 May 2016.
Bergin, Olivia. "21 Things You Probably Didn’t Know about Anna Wintour." Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 15 Aug. 2014. Web. 5 May 2016.
Clark, Meredith. "Vogue Editor Anna Wintour Announces Vogue World 2023 Is Coming to London." Independent, 31 May 2023, www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/anna-wintour-vogue-world-london-2023-b2349163.html. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.
Craven, Jo. "Anna Wintour." Vogue. Condé Nast Digital, 11 May 2011. Web. 5 May 2016.
London, Bianca. "As Anna Wintour Prepares to Be Honoured with Prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, FEMAIL Looks Back at How She Became Fashion’s Fiercest Success." Daily Mail. Associated Newspapers, 11 Nov. 2014. Web. 5 May 2016.
McTaggart, India. "Anna Wintour and Davina McCall Lead Star-Studded King's Birthday Honours List." The Telegraph, 16 June 2023, www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/06/16/anna-wintour-companion-honour-davina-vicky-mcclure-mbe/. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
Tashjian, Rachel and Maura Judkis. "Anna Wintour Kicks Off Fashion Week with Jill Biden." The Washington Post, 7 Sept. 2024, www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/anna-wintour-vogue-world-london-2023-b2349163.html. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.