Anna Wintour

Anna Wintour (born November 3, 1949, London, England) is a British editor and influential figure in the global fashion industry. As the longtime editor in chief (1988–2025) of American Vogue, Wintour reshaped the magazine into a powerful arbiter of style and culture, helping to transform fashion from a niche, largely female interest into a central component of global popular culture. She also served as global chief content officer for Vogue’s parent company Condé Nast (from 2020) and, after stepping down as editor in chief in 2025, continued her association with the magazine as global editorial director.

Early career

Wintour is the daughter of Charles Vere Wintour, who twice served as editor of London’s Evening Standard newspaper. She dropped out of North London Collegiate in 1966 and four years later became a fashion assistant for Harper’s & Queen magazine. After working as a fashion editor for a series of New York magazines, she served as editor (1986) of British Vogue and as editor (1987) of House & Garden, which she controversially relaunched in the United States as HG.

Vogue

In 1988 Wintour replaced Grace Mirabella as editor in chief at American Vogue. The move came three years after the American launch of the French magazine Elle, which consistently threatened to reduce Vogue’s circulation and advertising revenue. In explaining her publishing philosophy of democratic fashion fantasy, Wintour remarked, “Mass with class—that’s my mantra.” Her Vogue covers began featuring prominent women—including actresses Nicole Kidman and Angelina Jolie, athlete Serena Williams, and politician Hillary Clinton—rather than exclusively using models.

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Under Wintour’s direction, Condé Nast Publications launched several spin-offs, most notably Teen Vogue (1993). Wintour also orchestrated several high-profile philanthropic Vogue associations, notably the transformation of the Met Gala. The annual fundraising event for the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, was originally an elite gathering of Manhattan socialites, but Wintour made it over to become an internationally chronicled celebrity-dominated red-carpet event known as the “East Coast’s answer to the Oscars.”

Wintour has been instrumental in bolstering the careers of numerous prominent fashion professionals, including the 1990s generation of supermodels, gifted fashion photographer Herb Ritts, and several important designers. Deploying her influence and clout, she secured financial backing for John Galliano’s fledgling eponymous Paris fashion house, a move that helped in his elevation in 1997 to designer in chief at Christian Dior. Alexander McQueen and Marc Jacobs also benefited from Wintour’s patronage. In 2003 she and the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) jointly inaugurated the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, which offered financial support and business mentoring to the “next generation” of American fashion designers. After an introduction by Wintour in 2007, the menswear designer Thom Browne successfully launched his collection into 90 Brooks Brothers stores.

In a move that reflected her wide-ranging influence, in 2013 Wintour became artistic director at Condé Nast. Seven years later she was named the company’s global chief content officer. In June 2025 Wintour announced that she was stepping down as editor in chief of Vogue but would continue to serve as the magazine’s global editorial director and as Condé Nast’s global chief content officer. Soon after, Chloe Malle, the editor of Vogue.com, was announced as Vogue’s head of editorial content, the title of editor in chief having been retired with Wintour.

The Devil Wears Prada and documentaries

Wintour’s imperious demeanor—often associated with her signature dark sunglasses—was memorably portrayed by Meryl Streep in the film adaptation (2006) of Lauren Weisberger’s best-selling novel The Devil Wears Prada (2004). Though Streep played the fictional fashion magazine editor Miranda Priestly, the character is widely believed to have been a caricature of Wintour, for whom Weisberger once worked. Wintour also appeared as herself in the documentaries The September Issue: Anna Wintour & the Making of Vogue (2009), charting the creation of the September 2007 issue of the magazine, and The First Monday in May (2016), chronicling the preparation for the “China: Through the Looking Glass” exhibition and its accompanying gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Personal life and awards

Wintour was previously married to David Shaffer, a psychiatrist, between 1984 and 1999. The couple had two children, Charles Shaffer (born 1985) and Bee Shaffer (born 1987). She was then married to businessman Shelby Bryan between 2004 and 2020.

Wintour was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2008 and advanced to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2017. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by U.S. Pres. Joe Biden in 2025.