Its look: "A contemporary Formica-topped affair on two metal sawhorses as legs Not surprisingly, Wintour had her own ideas about the magazine and where it needed to go. I want our readers to be energetic, executive women, with money of their own and a wide range of interests," she told the London Daily Telegraph.
She's interested in business and money. She doesn't have time to shop anymore. She wants to know what and why and where and how. Wintour's sharp critiques and lack of patience soon earned a few memorable nicknames: "Nuclear Wintour" and "Wintour of Our Discontent.
In addition, the magazine's owners arranged for Concorde flights between New York and London so Wintour and her husband could be together.
Wintour's stay at HG didn't last long. In , she was named editor-in-chief of Vogue , allowing for her return to New York. A magazine that had been at the forefront of the fashion world since the early s, Vogue suddenly found itself losing ground to a three-year-old upstart, Elle , which had already reached a paid circulation of , Vogue 's subscriber base meanwhile, was a stagnant 1.
Fearing that the magazine had become complacent or worse, boring, Wintour was placed atop the editorial masthead with all the freedom, not to mention financial backing, that she needed to revitalize the publication.
In her three-decade reign at the magazine, Wintour more than accomplished her mission, restoring Vogue 's preeminence while producing some truly mammoth issues.
The September edition, for example, clocked in at pages, the most ever for a monthly magazine. Along the way, Wintour demonstrated fearlessness about forging new ground. She decisively called an end to the supermodel era, showcasing a preference for celebrities rather than models on her covers. Wintour was also the first to truly mix low-end fashion items with more expensive pieces in her photoshoots. Despite her claims to the contrary, Wintour became a force in the fashion world, not only through her decisions about what to feature in her magazine but also by breaking in newer designers and celebrating their styles.
In recent years, her work has made her a power broker between designers and retailers. In , she initiated a deal between men's designer Thom Browne and Brooks Brothers, which resulted in Brown's work appearing in 90 of the retailer's stores. Over the years Wintour also demonstrated an ability to speak her mind.
As gentle as she could be about the matter, the editor informed Oprah that she'd need to lose 20 pounds before she would put her on the cover of her magazine. And early in , when Hillary Clinton snubbed Vogue out of fears that appearing too feminine might undermine her presidential ambitions, Wintour fired back at the Clinton camp with a letter in the February issue of her magazine. It's also Margaret Thatcher may have looked terrific in a blue power suit, but that was 20 years ago.
I do think Americans have moved on from the power-suit mentality. Of course, with that power and influence comes a well-documented ego. Through the years, Wintour developed a reputation for being aloof and cold. It has been said that she is difficult to work for, and insists that her staff always look fashion-forward and rail-thin. After her meetings are over, she heads back to the office. At p. The bag is full of Wintour's homework for the night, which can include resumes, idea pitches, copy and other publications for her to look at.
It also contains what is called "the dummy," or sample pages from whatever issue of the magazine is being worked on at the moment. However, she says the biggest thing that she has learned over the three decades as the head editor of a major fashion magazine is to learn to "love a surprise.
And sometimes, that's completely okay," she says. Like this story? Don't miss: Kris Jenner shares her morning routine and what she would tell her younger self. Comprising a trademark brown bob, which she started wearing as a teenager, designer midi dresses, Manolo Blahnik slingback heels and dark sunglasses, her look rivals that of the late Karl Lagerfeld in terms of its idiosyncrasies.
Despite her famously public steely persona, Anna has always been hugely encouraging to young people in the industry. In , one of her former assistants, Lauren Weisberger, wrote a fictionalised account of her own time at Vogue , The Devil Wears Prada , which became an acclaimed film starring Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly, who was modelled on Wintour.
While many have found it difficult to see past the Miranda Priestly archetype, those within the industry believe Wintour to be a force of nature, one who would not attract the same level of criticism were she a man. Nonetheless, one presumes she will step down eventually.
And when she does, the mark she left on the industry will continue to drive its direction for years to come. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
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