She is a British-American fashion icon who served as the editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine for 37 years. Dame Anna Wintour worked her way up the ladder from humble beginnings to one of the most influential figures in the fashion industry.
Her no-nonsense attitude and with her iconic pageboy haircut, the lady demonstrated that doing things her own way is not a bad thing after all. She began her career in the fashion department of Harper’s & Queen in London. In 1976, she took over as fashion editor at Harper’s Bazaar. From there, the world was her oyster as the saying goes. In 1986, Wintour returned to London as Chief editor of British Vogue.
“I want Vogue to be pacy, sharp, and sexy. I’m not interested in the super-rich or infinitely leisured. I want our readers to be energetic, executive women, with money of their own and a wide range of interests.”
Her style of management was often critiqued which in turn earned her nicknames such as, “Nuclear Wintour” and “Wintour of Our Discontent.”
Did that stop the one-woman force named Anna Wintour? Not one little bit. In 1980, Wintour was named editor-in-chief of Vogue. During her three-decade reign, she restored the magazine’s clout and produced some mammoth issues.
Wintour stepped down after 37 years at the helm but during that time it never stopped her from speaking her mind, her restless drive or her no-nonsense approach.
At a time when criticism was and is the norm where the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, is concerned, Anna Wintour chose to go against the grain. At the Paris Fashion Week, she delivered this compliment to Meghan who was dressed in an all-white ensemble by Balenciaga.
Ms. Wintour: “How are you?”
Meghan: “Nice to see you.”
After exchanging a kiss on the cheek, Anna looks at Meghan’s outfit and says,
“Beautiful cherie. You look amazing.”
That was the nail on every critic’s coffin that rang around the world. The top person of the fashion world had spoken and so it was.
To drive the nail further in the coffin, “Vogue recently featured Meghan Markle on its best-dressed list” for her appearance at the Balenciaga show during Paris Fashion week in October 2025.
Anna Wintour was and still is a force to be reckoned with.
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