Anna Wintour steps down as US Vogue editor after nearly four decades at the helm

Anna Wintour, the formidable and influential editor-in-chief of US Vogue, officially stepped down from her editorial role on Thursday, marking the end of a legendary 37-year era that transformed the fashion magazine into a global cultural force.

Wintour, 75, known as the defining figure of modern fashion journalism, announced the move during a staff meeting in New York, saying the time had come for Vogue to "seek a new head of editorial content," according to media reports.

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However, she made clear she won't be vacating her office - or stepping away from the industry. She will retain her titles as Vogue's global editorial director and chief content officer at Condé Nast, continuing to oversee a suite of the company’s leading publications including Vanity Fair, GQ, Wired, and Glamour.

"It's a pivotal decision," she said, according to the New York Times. "But I'll be turning all my attention to global leadership and working with our team of brilliant editors around the world."

A British-American powerhouse, Wintour took over US Vogue in 1988 when the magazine was in a period of creative stagnation. She revitalized the publication, making its cover a statement of who and what mattered in fashion and culture, and its pages a blend of aspirational aesthetics and editorial authority.

With her legendary bob, ever-present sunglasses, and exacting standards, Wintour became synonymous with Vogue - and with fashion power itself.

Her tenure spanned the golden age of print media, fuelled by advertising riches and global influence, but also saw the magazine navigate a shifting digital landscape. Even as readers moved online, Wintour remained a constant presence in the front row of major fashion weeks and continued to dictate industry trends, famously dubbed "Nuclear Wintour" for her no-nonsense leadership style.

Pop culture cemented her mystique with The Devil Wears Prada - the 2003 novel and 2006 film inspired by Wintour, in which Meryl Streep's portrayal of fictional editor Miranda Priestly earned an Oscar nod.

For years, Wintour sidestepped the comparisons, but in 2024, when the story was turned into a musical, she told the BBC, "It's for the audience and for the people I work with to decide if there are any similarities between me and Miranda Priestly."

Beyond magazines, Wintour curated and hosted the annual Met Gala - turning it into fashion's biggest night - and used her position to back causes and politicians, notably fundraising for Democrats including Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

In recent years, Wintour was further decorated for her contributions to culture, becoming a Dame in 2017 and receiving the Companion of Honour in the UK earlier this year. In January, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by former U.S. President Joe Biden.

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