Anna Wintour announced her departure as editor-in-chief of American Vogue during a staff meeting on Wednesday morning, ending a transformative 37-year run that reshaped fashion media and established the magazine as a cultural powerhouse.
The 75-year-old editor will retain her positions as Condé Nast’s global chief content officer and Vogue’s global editorial director, where she oversees the company’s international titles excluding The New Yorker. American Vogue will now search for a new head of editorial content to fill the role.
Condé Nast Chief Executive Roger Lynch explained the transition to the Wall Street Journal, noting that Wintour has been managing three jobs at the company since 2020. “It makes sense for her to step back from American Vogue so she can make time for everyone who needs her,” Lynch said.
Wintour joined American Vogue in 1988, taking over from Grace Mirabella and immediately implementing changes that would define modern fashion publishing. Her debut November 1988 cover featuring model Michaela Bercu in $50 Guess jeans paired with a $10,000 Christian Lacroix sweater marked a departure from traditional fashion magazine imagery.
“It was so unlike the studied and elegant close-ups that were typical of Vogue’s covers back then, with tons of makeup and major jewelry. This one broke all the rules,” Wintour reflected in a 2012 interview with Vogue. “I had just looked at that picture and sensed the winds of change. And you can’t ask for more from a cover image than that.”
Beyond editorial content, Wintour transformed the Met Gala into fashion’s premier fundraising event after becoming co-chair in 1995. She also launched the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund in 2004 to support emerging designers, establishing herself as a kingmaker in the fashion industry.
Her influence extended to launching careers of numerous designers including Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, Joseph Altuzarra, and Zac Posen, while her editorial team included future industry leaders like Andre Leon Talley, Edward Enninful, and Chioma Nnadi.
Wintour’s cultural impact reached beyond fashion through the 2006 film “The Devil Wears Prada,” which many believed was inspired by her management style, and the 2009 documentary “The September Issue,” which provided an inside look at Vogue’s operations.
The departure follows recent changes at Condé Nast, including Susan Cappa’s resignation as head of sales for fashion and luxury this week, and Mark Guiducci’s appointment as creative director for Vanity Fair following Radhika Jones’ surprise exit in April.
Wintour’s successor has not been announced, leaving the fashion industry to speculate about who will inherit one of media’s most influential positions. Her legacy at American Vogue includes transforming it into a global fashion authority while maintaining its position as the industry’s most prestigious publication.
The editor’s departure marks the end of an era for the broader fashion media landscape, where her influence shaped not only what people wore but how fashion was presented and consumed worldwide.
