Anna Wintour takes a step back, Vogue US to seek new editorial lead

Business Standard

2 days ago

Anna Wintour has announced plans to appoint a new head of editorial content (HOEC) for US Vogue, marking the end of her 37-year tenure as the magazine's editor-in-chief. The news was shared with staff on June 26, as reported by Vogue.
Wintour, 75, will continue in her roles as Condé Nast's chief content officer and Vogue's global editorial director. While she retains editorial oversight of the company's full portfolio, including Vanity Fair, GQ, WIRED, Architectural Digest, Bon Appétit, Condé Nast Traveler, Allure, Teen Vogue and Tatler. However, her day-to-day involvement in Vogue US operations will soon pass to a new editorial lead. That person will report directly to Wintour, consistent with the structure across the brand's global editions.
In a meeting with staff, Wintour said, 'Anybody in a creative field knows how essential it is never to stop growing in one's work. When I became the editor of Vogue, I was eager to prove to all who might listen that there was a new, exciting way to imagine an American fashion magazine.'
She added, 'Now, I find that my greatest pleasure is helping the next generation of impassioned editors storm the field with their own ideas, supported by a new, exciting view of what a major media company can be. And that is exactly the kind of person we need to now look for to be HOEC for US Vogue.'
Wintour to retain Met Gala, fashion oversight
Though Wintour will relinquish the top editorial title at Vogue US, she made clear that many of her duties would remain unchanged. 'That includes paying very close attention to the fashion industry and to the creative cultural force that is our extraordinary Met Ball, and charting the course of future Vogue Worlds, and any other original, fearless ideas we may come up with,' she said. 'And it goes without saying that I plan to remain Vogue's tennis and theatre editor in perpetuity.'
She concluded, 'How thrilling it will be to work alongside someone new who will challenge us, inspire us, and make us all think about Vogue in a myriad of original ways.'
Wintour stepping back, not retiring
Wintour's announcement is not a retirement, but rather part of a broader global restructuring at Condé Nast. Her expanded responsibilities as chief content officer, first assumed in 2020, have seen her take a more strategic, cross-brand leadership role across the company's worldwide operations.
Anna Wintour net worth, salary
Since becoming Vogue's editor-in-chief in 1988, Wintour has become one of the most influential figures in fashion. Over nearly four decades, she reshaped the American fashion media landscape, championed celebrity covers, and turned Vogue into a cultural gatekeeper. Her influence stretches beyond the page: from the launch of Vogue World to her long-running stewardship of the Met Gala, first co-chaired in 1995, Wintour has made fashion a fixture of mainstream culture.
Her financial stature matches her cultural clout. In a 2020 article, Business Insider r eported that Wintour's annual salary was $2 million and her net worth was estimated at $35 million. Aside from that, Wintour also reportedly received benefits, including a $200,000-a-year clothing allowance strictly for workwear.
Her image inspired the character Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada, played by Meryl Streep in the 2006 film adaptation of a novel by a former assistant. Her signature look of a bob and sunglasses has also made her one of the most recognised figures in fashion.
Condé Nast, Vogue: Controversies, racism allegations
However, her time at Vogue has not been without controversy. Wintour and Condé Nast have faced allegations of racism, classism and discrimination. In 2020, following criticism from former employees, Wintour issued an apology in a note to staff, acknowledging Vogue's 'hurtful and intolerant' behaviour and pledging to do better.
That same year, longtime collaborator and former Vogue editor-at-large André Leon Talley accused Wintour of ageism and fatphobia in his memoir The Chiffon Trenches. Talley detailed their strained relationship and suggested that Wintour had discarded him after decades of work together. Wintour has also been accused of nepotism when she appointed her Mark Guiducci, 36, to lead Vanity Fair.
Now the question arises on who will be filling Wintour's role at Vogue?