Anna Wintour is stepping down as editor-in-chief of American Vogue, bringing an end to her influential 37-year tenure that reshaped global fashion media. The announcement was made during a Cond Nast executive meeting and later confirmed to Vogue staff in a town hall on Thursday.
Wintour will retain her roles as chief content officer for Cond Nast and global editorial director of Vogue, said the person who was not authorised to speak about the change publicly. The new editorial lead at American Vogue will report directly to Wintour in her global role, Associated Press reported.
The news quickly reverberated across the fashion world and social media, with the phrase “Wintour is stepping down” trending globally. After decades of groundbreaking vision, Wintour’s departure from the American edition signifies a generational shift in fashion journalism.
The company will retire the “editor-in-chief” title, replacing it with “head of editorial content” — a move designed to give Wintour more flexibility to focus on her broader global responsibilities across Vogue’s international editions.
Born in London in 1949 to British journalist Charles Wintour and American philanthropist Eleanor “Nonie” Baker, Wintour began her editorial journey in the UK before moving to New York in the 1970s. She joined Vogue in 1983 as creative director, and just five years later, in 1988, took over as editor-in-chief.
Her very first cover — featuring model Michaela Bercu in faded jeans paired with a couture Christian Lacroix jacket showcased her bold blend of streetwear and high fashion. That vision helped Vogue maintain cultural relevance for nearly four decades.
She gave the magazine a modern look by putting celebrities on the cover and mixing luxury fashion with everyday street style. She also supported young designers like Marc Jacobs, Alexander McQueen, and John Galliano, and helped Vogue grow with new editions around the world.
As chief content officer, Wintour will continue to oversee every Cond Nast brand globally, including American Vogue, Wired, Vanity Fair, GQ, AD, Cond Nast Traveller, Glamour, Bon Apptit, Tatler, World of Interiors, Allure and more, except The New Yorker.
(With inputs from Associated Press)
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