The end of an era is clearly looming: Anna Wintour, 75, is said to have told her staff on Thursday that she will step down after 37 years as editor-in-chief of American Vogue. The report comes from Variety, among others. Condé Nast, the magazine’s publisher, confirmed the news to CNN.
Which Posts Anna Wintour Will Retain
The 75-year-old fashion icon reportedly informed the staff that the magazine will now begin searching for a new head of editorial content. Wintour, who has led Vogue since 1988 as the successor to Grace Mirabella (1929-2021), will not completely turn her back on Vogue.
She will keep her role as Global Chief Content Officer at Condé Nast and will also remain Global Editorial Director of Vogue. In this capacity she will continue to oversee the magazine’s worldwide direction.
Wintour Has Guided the Magazine Through Multiple Crises
As Condé Nast’s Chief Content Officer, Wintour oversees all of the company’s brands worldwide, with The New Yorker excluded. Under her umbrella sit prestigious titles such as Vanity Fair, GQ, and Glamour. The move away from the day-to-day leadership of the U.S. Vogue marks, without a doubt, the end of an era. Wintour has steered the magazine through multiple crises, navigated the digital shift, and always preserved her signature blend of elegance and steel. Her famous sunglasses became a symbol of the aloof perfection she embodied.
When Wintour succeeded Grace Mirabella, few likely imagined that this personnel decision would become one of the longest and most defining leadership tenures in the history of fashion magazine journalism. Yet from the very first issue she oversaw, the November 1988 edition, Wintour drew attention. It featured Israeli model Michaela Bercu in stonewashed jeans—the first time denim appeared on Vogue’s cover. In 1992 she also broke with a long-standing Vogue tradition by placing Richard Gere (75) on the cover as the first male cover star.
