Latest news with #QueenElizabethII
The Sun
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
How trendsetting Brit Anna Wintour became fashion's ultimate force at Vogue – with NO ONE safe from her sharp tongue
SHE came, she saw the fashion world from behind her Chanel sunglasses, she conquered. After 37 years as the formidable force on US Vogue, Anna Wintour is stepping aside as Editor-in-Chief. 6 6 The move marks the end of an era, in which the UK-born power player ruled the fashion industry with a perfectly manicured fist. One flick of her hair or glance and your fate was sealed. Dame Anna, honoured by Queen Elizabeth II in 2017 in full Chanel couture, turned unknown models into stars, transformed 'trashy' celebs into tastemakers, and set trends the high street copied. Her signature razor-sharp bob — which she has had since the age of 14 — needs two daily blow-dries (morning and evening) and near-constant trims. Her attitude is equally polished — and feared. Nicknamed Nuclear Wintour for her icy reputation, she remains fashion's most enigmatic personality. The documentary The September Issue offered a rare peek inside Vogue's Manolo Blahnik-strewn corridors, capturing the chaos of assembling an 840-page edition of the magazine in 2007. Debuting in 2009 at Sundance and grossing around £7million, the film cemented Anna's status as the ultimate force in fashion. Surrounded by 'thin, rich and young' people Her frosty persona inspired The Devil Wears Prada's Miranda Priestly — Meryl Streep's pursed lips and cutting glares were taken straight from the Wintour playbook — and even The Incredibles' eccentric designer Edna Mode was modelled on her. But inside Vogue, Anna's power wasn't a scowl or stare. It was a yellow Post-it note stuck to the bottom of a printout, bearing the a seal of approval 'AWOK' — Anna Wintour OK — which could make or break careers. One star Anna truly legitimised was Kim Kardashian. When she boldly put Kim and then-fiance Kanye West on Vogue's cover in 2014, the fashion elite gasped. Anna Wintour finally sets record straight on Met Gala outfit rule rumor after years of speculation Her response? 'If we only put tasteful people on the cover, no one would talk about us.' Anna also championed other stars — giving Kendall Jenner strong Vogue backing and helping her break into high fashion. She championed Gisele Bundchen in the late 1990s and early 2000s, featuring her on many Vogue covers, and Kate Upton's debut on the front of the magazine in 2013 signalled a shift toward embracing curvier models in the industry. Infamously private, Anna Wintour's influence is impossible to ignore. The Devil Wears Prada even became a musical — proof of her cultural reach. At 75, she kept Vogue not just relevant, but reigning as fashion and culture's ultimate authority. From supermodel golden eras to today's social media trends, Anna transformed the title from a magazine into a global style empire. Every May, she breaks the internet with the Met Gala — her annual, star-studded spectacle where celebrities stun in jaw-dropping looks. What was once a low-key fundraiser transformed under her reign into fashion's most exclusive, over-the-top, meme-worthy night. 6 6 Starting in 2004, Anna harnessed showbiz glamour to skyrocket the event into global fame. Today, from TikTokers to A-listers, the guest list is fiercely selective — just 30 seconds of fame on a bright red carpet holds massive cultural weight. While Anna wields immense power over designer brands and celebrities, she has also had a huge impact on the high street. From her very first Vogue cover mixing budget jeans with couture, she has championed accessible fashion for all. Anna has been key in shaping runway trends that trickle down to high street retailers. In 2009, she launched Fashion's Night Out, turning shopping into a celebrity- studded, cocktail-fuelled event in New York and London, raising funds for causes such as the NYC AIDS Fund and September 11 Memorial until the event ended in 2013. But Anna did not just dip into retail — she transformed the high-street experience. By blending celebrity appeal, charity and immersive theatre, she redefined how brands engage with shoppers. She was a fixture at Topshop's London Fashion Week shows and has long championed luxury-meets-store collaborations — think Balmain x H&M — bringing runway glamour to the masses and giving the UK high street a major boost. FASHION QUEEN In an interview with The Times last year, Anna tipped her hat to Gap for snapping up designer Zac Posen and gave props to Uniqlo for working with Givenchy's former artistic director Clare Waight Keller, who had designed Meghan Markle's wedding dress. The fashion queen said: 'These big mass companies have finally clocked the power of creativity. You wouldn't have seen that ten, 15, even 20 years ago.' Anna has two children — Charles, a psychiatrist born in 1985, and TV producer Katherine, known as Bee, who she had in 1987. Their father is child psychiatrist David Shaffer, who Anna was married to from 1984 to 2020. She is reportedly romantically linked to actor Bill Nighy, though they describe themselves as close friends. Still, in Wintour's world, loyalty can be as fleeting as fashion trends. 6 6 Her decades-long friendship with the late Andre Leon Talley — once her trusted right-hand at Vogue — ended bitterly after he was pushed aside. In his 2020 memoir The Chiffon Trenches, Talley claimed she preferred to surround herself with 'thin, rich, and young' people. Ouch. Top designers haven't escaped her icy glare either. After various scandals, names such as John Galliano and Dolce & Gabbana were swiftly frozen out of Vogue's world — proving that even fashion royalty are not safe from her. Yet despite the many ups and downs, one thing is certainly true. Anna Wintour is a force, a legend and one hell of a woman whose influence stretches far beyond the pages of Vogue. She will now focus on her roles as Global Editorial Director and Chief Content Officer at the magazine's publisher Condé Nast. Whoever is picked to take over her old job better be able to fill her Manolo Blahnik pumps.
BBC News
13 hours ago
- BBC News
The Stroud Hotel holds Berni Inn night to mark 1970s heyday
An historic hotel is celebrating its delayed reopening by holding a "Berni Inn night" on Friday - an event named after the famous steakhouse chain - to mark its 1970s Stroud, formally known as The Imperial Hotel, in its namesake town in Gloucestershire, only reopened earlier this year after redevelopment was delayed when the building was awarded Grade II listed status, by Queen Elizabeth II in protection added £1million to the renovation costs and delayed the reopening by several months. Laurence Saffer, one of the hotel's partners, said that the costs were worth it to properly preserve the "iconic" building. "In lockdown, we came across this building and we found out the Beatles had visited here when they were performing, and Her Majesty the Queen visited us in 1950."It was a great honour (to receive listed status), and it's something that we really do cherish," he added."It put us back about six months and at considerable cost, but we're really proud of what we've done - something that's got a heartbeat."There's a lot of life in this area and we thought that creating something which is warm and people want to go to would be a great idea." Local resident Kate Yates said she was excited to attend the 1970s throwback event having had her wedding reception at the venue in 1978."It was new, it was exciting. There weren't really many other places to eat," she said."I think we had orange juice to start. Then we had steak, and black forest gateau."I can't wait to try it again. We have done it at home to show them to my children what we used to have."My daughter has come in with me this evening to experience it too."
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Anna Wintour stepping back as US Vogue's editor-in-chief
Dame Anna Wintour is stepping back as editor-in-chief of American Vogue after 37 years. The British-born fashion magnate, 75, is leaving the role she has held longer than any other editor, but will retain senior positions at its publisher. Dame Anna will continue as Vogue's global editorial director, as well as chief content officer for its parent company Conde Nast. She was made a dame by the late Queen Elizabeth II for services to fashion and journalism in 2017, and was made Companion of Honour by King Charles earlier this year. Dame Anna announced to staff on Thursday that a new role, head of editorial content, would be introduced at American Vogue. According to an account published by the company, Dame Anna told staff she wanted to help "the next generation of impassioned editors storm the field with their own ideas" as she announced her departure from the editor-in-chief role. She said she would continue with many of her responsibilities, and that "it goes without saying that I plan to remain Vogue's tennis and theatre editor in perpetuity". Raised in London, Dame Anna was the editor of British Vogue before she took the helm at its US sister publication in 1988. She is credited with giving American Vogue a new lease of life, turning it into one of the world's top fashion publications and was credited with overhauling its output, including featuring less well-known models and mixing inexpensive clothes with couture. Over her long career, Dame Anna has become one of the most recognisable and influential figures in the fashion industry. Outside of her work with Vogue, she has also organised the Met Gala, a New York fundraiser which attracts high-profile celebrities, since 1995. She is known for her trademark bob and dark glasses. Last December, she told the BBC's culture editor Katie Razzall the signature shades were a "prop", and "they help me see and they help me not see". Dame Anna's tenure as editor-in-chief of US Vogue is also widely rumoured to have inspired the tyrannical but revered character of Miranda Priestly in the Devil Wears Prada - a novel by a former assistant of Wintour, Lauren Weisberger. Earlier this year, King Charles asked Dame Anna whether she would stop working - to which she said she replied "firmly no". Get our flagship newsletter with all the headlines you need to start the day. Sign up here. 'The glasses are a prop': Anna Wintour on her style and being told 'no' I will not stop working, Anna Wintour tells King
Daily Mail
a day ago
- General
- Daily Mail
How Queen Elizabeth's dresser caused her to break royal protocol with 'very unusual suggestion' during visit to honour indigenous community
Renowned for her vibrant fashion sense, Queen Elizabeth II understood the powerful role clothing could play in diplomacy and cultural respect. She worked closely with her Personal Assistant and Senior Dresser of 25 years, Angela Kelly, to create outfits that were not only stylish but also deeply thoughtful and culturally sensitive. Her wardrobe was often a tribute to the country or community she was visiting - whether through a symbolic colour choice, meaningful embroidery or a carefully selected piece of jewellery. A memorable example of this was during her June 2010 visit to Canada, when she met with members of the Mi'kmaq, an indigenous community known as the 'People of the Dawn,' celebrated for their exquisite beadwork. In her book Dressing the Queen, Angela Kelly recounts the honour of collaborating with the Mi'kmaq for this special visit. 'In recognition of their unique beading skills, I asked the Chiefs if the oldest generation of skilled women would like to embellish the yellow jacket that I had planned for the Queen to wear on the occasion of her visit.' This suggestion was highly unorthodox as Elizabeth's outfits were usually kept confidential until the moment of their debut. However, Ms Kelly felt that making an exception was entirely justified. She writes: 'This was a very unusual suggestion, since the Queen's outfits are normally kept secret for maximum impact on the day, but I felt it was the right decision, as their knowledge of beading goes back hundreds of years.' After the tour discussions, Ms Kelly and her team returned to London, where they created a design for the collar and cuffs of the Queen's jacket. The fabric was then sent back to Canada for the Mi'kmaq artisans to adorn. Their response was enthusiastic. 'They took enormous pride in being asked to undertake this work and returned it to us quickly for the final making-up,' Ms Kelly shares. The result was a beautifully unique garment that reflected both royal elegance and indigenous craftsmanship - a meaningful gesture of mutual respect. To complete the look, the Queen wore a special maple leaf brooch, offering a patriotic nod to Canada. This particular piece, showcased for the first time on that visit, featured a spray of enamel maple leaves edged with diamonds. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh embarked on an eight-day tour of Canada, starting in Halifax and ending in Toronto. Despite being greeted by light showers, Queen Elizabeth remained characteristically composed and elegant, wearing a classic trench coat, wide-brimmed hat and transparent umbrella, trimmed in the same cheerful yellow as the jacket she would later reveal The visit coincided with the centenary celebrations of the Canadian Navy and the marking of Canada Day - an occasion rich in national pride and pageantry. Despite being greeted by light showers, Queen Elizabeth remained characteristically composed. She stepped off the plane wearing a classic trench coat, teamed with a wide-brimmed hat and a transparent umbrella, trimmed in the same cheerful yellow as the jacket she would later reveal. The weather did little to dampen the Queen's spirits - her face lit with a radiant smile that reflected her genuine delight at being in Canada.
BBC News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Anna Wintour steps back as US Vogue's editor-in-chief
Dame Anna Wintour has stepped back as editor-in-chief of American Vogue after 37 British-born fashion magnate, 75, is leaving the role she has held longer than any other editor, but will retain senior positions at its Anna will continue as Vogue's global editorial director, as well as chief content officer for its parent company Conde was made a dame by the late Queen Elizabeth II for services to fashion and journalism in 2017, and was made Companion of Honour by King Charles earlier this year. Dame Anna announced to staff on Thursday that a new role, head of editorial content, would be introduced at American Vogue. This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.
