Anna Wintour facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anna Wintour
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Wintour in 2024
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| Born | 3 November 1949 London, England
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| Years active | 1975–present |
| Employer | Condé Nast |
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| Predecessor | Grace Mirabella |
| Board member of | Metropolitan Museum of Art |
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David Shaffer
(m. 1984; div. 1999)Shelby Bryan
(m. 2004; div. 2020) |
| Children | 2 |
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Dame Anna Wintour (born 3 November 1949) is a powerful British and American media executive. She has been the editor-in-chief of Vogue since 1988. Vogue is one of the world's most famous fashion magazines.
Since 2020, Wintour has also been the global chief content officer for Condé Nast. This means she oversees all of Condé Nast's magazines around the world. She is also the global editorial director for Vogue.
Wintour is known for her signature pageboy bob haircut and dark sunglasses. Many people see her as the most influential woman in publishing. She is a very important person in the fashion world. Since the 1990s, she has led the annual Met Gala in Manhattan. This is a huge fashion event. People praise Wintour for being able to spot new fashion trends. However, some have said she can be distant and demanding.
Her father, Charles Wintour, was an editor for the Evening Standard newspaper in London. He often asked her for ideas to make the newspaper interesting to young people. Anna became interested in fashion when she was a teenager. She started her career in fashion journalism at two British magazines. Later, she moved to the United States. She worked at magazines like New York and House & Garden.
She returned to London and was the editor of British Vogue from 1985 to 1987. A year later, she took over the American Vogue magazine in New York. Many thought the magazine was becoming boring, and she helped make it exciting again. Wintour has used Vogue to greatly influence the fashion industry. Some groups, like Animal rights activists, have criticized her for promoting fur. Others have said she uses the magazine to show an unrealistic idea of beauty.
A former assistant, Lauren Weisberger, wrote a popular book in 2003 called The Devil Wears Prada. This book was later made into a successful movie in 2006. The movie starred Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly, a fashion editor. Many believe this character was based on Anna Wintour. In 2009, a documentary film called The September Issue was made about Wintour's work at Vogue.
Contents
Anna Wintour's Early Life and Education
Anna Wintour was born in Hampstead, London, on November 3, 1949. Her parents were Charles Wintour, who edited the Evening Standard, and Eleanor "Nonie" Trego Baker. They married in 1940 and later divorced in 1979. Anna was named after her grandmother, Anna Baker.
Anna has four siblings. Her older brother, Gerald, sadly died in a traffic accident when he was a child. One of her younger brothers, Patrick Wintour, is also a journalist. He works as the diplomatic editor for The Guardian newspaper.
Wintour went to North London Collegiate School. She often broke the school's dress code by making her skirts shorter. When she was 14, she started wearing her hair in a bob. She became interested in fashion by watching Cathy McGowan on a TV show called Ready Steady Go!. She also read Seventeen magazine, which her grandmother sent from the United States. She once said that growing up in London in the 1960s meant you couldn't help but notice how exciting fashion was. Her father often asked her for ideas to make his newspaper more appealing to young readers.
Anna Wintour's Career in Fashion
Starting in Fashion Journalism
Anna Wintour once said her father helped her decide to work in fashion. He arranged her first job at the Biba boutique when she was 15. The next year, she left school and started a training program at Harrods. She also took fashion classes but soon quit, saying, "You either know fashion or you don't." An older boyfriend, Richard Neville, gave her her first taste of making a magazine at his publication, Oz.
In 1970, Harper's Bazaar UK merged with Queen to become Harper's & Queen. Wintour was hired as one of its first editorial assistants. This was the start of her career in fashion journalism. She told her co-workers that her goal was to edit Vogue. She helped find models and locations for creative photo shoots. After disagreements with a colleague, she left and moved to New York.
Rising in New York City
In New York, she became a junior fashion editor at Harper's Bazaar in 1975. Her new and bold photo shoots led the editor to fire her after nine months. A few months later, she got her first job as a fashion editor at Viva, a women's magazine. This was the first time she had a personal assistant, and she began to be known as a demanding boss.
In 1980, she returned to work as fashion editor for a new magazine called Savvy. This magazine aimed to reach professional women who earned their own money. These were the same readers Wintour would later target at Vogue.
The next year, she became fashion editor of New York magazine. Her fashion spreads and photo shoots started to get a lot of attention. She learned that having celebrities on the cover helped sell many copies. A former colleague helped her get an interview with Vogue editor Grace Mirabella. The interview ended when Wintour told Mirabella she wanted her job.
Working at Condé Nast
In 1983, Alex Liberman, who was in charge of editorial content for Condé Nast (the company that owns Vogue), offered Wintour a job. After a lot of negotiation, she accepted and became the magazine's first creative director. Her changes to Vogue often happened without Mirabella knowing, which caused some tension among the staff. She married child psychiatrist David Shaffer in 1984.
In 1985, Wintour became the editor of the UK edition of Vogue. She changed much of the staff and took more control over the magazine than any editor before her. This earned her the nickname "Nuclear Wintour." She wanted the magazine to appeal to modern women who were interested in business and didn't have much time to shop.
In 1987, Wintour returned to New York to take over House & Garden. This magazine was not doing well, and Condé Nast hoped she could improve it. She made big changes, including canceling many planned photo shoots and articles. She added so much fashion and so many celebrities that the magazine's traditional advertisers left.
Ten months later, she became the editor of U.S. Vogue. Many in the industry were worried that Vogue was losing popularity to the new American edition of Elle.
After changing many staff members, Wintour also changed the style of the cover photos. The previous editor preferred close-up shots of famous models in studios. Wintour's covers showed more of the body and were taken outdoors. She also mixed expensive clothes with more affordable ones. Her first issue, in November 1988, featured 19-year-old Michaela Bercu in $50 jeans and a $10,000 jeweled T-shirt. It was the first time jeans appeared on a Vogue cover. When the printer saw it, they thought it was a mistake!
Wintour later said that this cover was not planned. She just looked at the picture and felt it was something new and different. She considers it her favorite cover because it was a big change for Vogue.
Wintour has a lot of control over the magazine's visual content. She requires photographers to get her approval before they start shooting. She also demands that they submit all their photos to the magazine, not just their favorites. She writes the monthly editor's letter for the magazine. She reportedly has three full-time assistants but sometimes answers the phone herself.
The 1990s at Vogue
Under Wintour's leadership, Vogue became very focused on fashion again. It regained its top position in the market, competing against magazines like Elle and Harper's Bazaar.
The 2000s and Beyond
Several long-time editors left Vogue around the year 2000. However, a new group of core editors joined the team.
The September 2004 issue of Vogue was 832 pages long. At the time, it was the largest issue of a monthly magazine ever published. Wintour also oversaw the launch of three spin-off magazines: Teen Vogue, Vogue Living, and Men's Vogue. Teen Vogue became very successful. Because of this brand expansion, AdAge named her "Editor of the Year."
Wintour received an award from the British Empire in 2008. However, 2008 was a tough year for Vogue due to economic challenges and some controversies. A cover featuring LeBron James and Gisele Bündchen was criticized for showing racial stereotypes. Also, a dress she wore to a gala was called a "fashion faux pas." Vogue Living was stopped, and Men's Vogue reduced its issues. Some people started to wonder if Wintour was losing her touch.
In 2008, there were rumors that she might retire. Condé Nast, the company that owns Vogue, took out a two-page ad in The New York Times to defend Wintour's work. In 2009, Wintour appeared on 60 Minutes and said she would not retire. She felt it was an important time to be in her position. The documentary film The September Issue about the making of the September 2007 issue was released. It showed the relationship between Wintour and creative director Grace Coddington. Wintour also appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman to promote the film. She defended the importance of fashion, even during tough economic times. In 2010, she was elected to the American Society of Magazine Editors' Hall of Fame.
The 2010s and Beyond
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In 2013, Condé Nast announced that Wintour would become the artistic director for all the company's magazines. She continued her role at Vogue. This new position was created to keep Wintour with the company. She described it as an "extension of what I am doing, but on a broader scale."
In January 2014, the Metropolitan Museum of Art named its Costume Institute complex after Wintour. First Lady Michelle Obama opened it in May of that year. Wintour also starred in The Fashion Fund, a TV show. Forbes magazine named her the 39th most powerful woman in the world.
In 2016, on the 10th anniversary of The Devil Wears Prada movie, people noted how Wintour's public image had changed. A decade ago, she was seen as a "terrible boss" because of the movie. But since then, she has become openly admired. People now see her as someone who knows how to successfully run a print magazine in modern times.
Wintour was given another high honor by Queen Elizabeth II in May 2017. She was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for her contributions to fashion and journalism.
The 2020s
In 2020, Condé Nast promoted Wintour to worldwide chief content officer. This was part of a company reorganization. She also became the global editorial director of Vogue.
In 2023, Wintour suggested creating an event in London similar to the Met Gala. The goal was to raise money for the local arts scene, which had faced challenges after the COVID pandemic.
Wintour received another honor in 2023, being appointed Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH) for her services to fashion. In 2025, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Anna Wintour stepped down as editor-in-chief of Vogue in June 2025.
Anna Wintour's Influence in Fashion
Over the years, Anna Wintour has become one of the most powerful people in fashion. She helps set new trends and supports new designers. Publicists in the industry often heard, "Do you want me to go to Anna with this?" if they had disagreements with her team. The Guardian newspaper has called her the "unofficial mayoress" of New York City. She encouraged fashion houses like Christian Dior to hire younger, fresh designers. Her influence even reached outside fashion. She convinced Donald Trump to let designer Marc Jacobs use a ballroom at the Plaza Hotel for a show when Jacobs needed a space.
Her salary was reported to be $2 million a year in 2005. She also received many benefits, like a chauffeured Mercedes-Benz S-Class car in New York and abroad. She also had a large shopping allowance and could stay in a special suite at the Hotel Ritz Paris during fashion shows.
Charity Work and Philanthropy
Wintour is a trustee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. She has organized events that have raised $50 million for the museum's Costume Institute. She also started the CFDA/Vogue Fund. This fund helps encourage, support, and guide new fashion designers. Since 1990, she has also raised over $10 million for AIDS charities by organizing various high-profile events.
Anna Wintour's Personal Life
Family Life
Anna Wintour married child psychiatrist David Shaffer in 1984. They had a son named Charles (born 1985) and a daughter named Katherine (born 1987). They divorced in 1999. Charles is a doctor. Katherine wrote columns for The Daily Telegraph and works as a producer in New York. Katherine married Italian filmmaker Francesco Carrozzini in 2018.
Wintour lives in New York City's Greenwich Village.
Daily Habits
Wintour says she wakes up at 5:30 a.m. She plays tennis, gets her hair and makeup done, and arrives at the Vogue offices by 7:30 a.m. She always arrives at fashion shows early. She uses the waiting time to make phone calls and notes. She says she gets some of her best ideas at the shows. She rarely stays at parties for more than 20 minutes and usually goes to bed by 10:15 p.m. She turns off her mobile phone during lunch, which is often a steak or a hamburger without the bun.
Personal Style
Because of her important position, Wintour's clothing choices are often watched closely and copied. Earlier in her career, she mixed fashionable T-shirts with designer jeans. When she started at Vogue as creative director, she began wearing Chanel suits with miniskirts. She was listed as "one of the 50 best-dressed over 50s" by The Guardian in March 2013. She is also seen wearing kitten heels and printed midi-dresses.
Her famous sunglasses are actually corrective lenses because her eyesight is not perfect. She told 60 Minutes that they are like "armor." They allow her to keep her reactions to a fashion show private.
Political Involvement
Wintour has supported the Democratic Party since Hillary Clinton's Senate campaign in 2000. She helped raise money for Barack Obama's presidential campaigns in 2008 and 2012. She co-hosted fundraisers with celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker. She also worked with designers like Calvin Klein and Harvey Weinstein to raise funds.
In 2013, Wintour hired Hildy Kuryk, who had worked as a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee and Obama's 2008 campaign. Wintour supported Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign. She was one of Clinton's wealthy donors and advised her on clothing choices for important campaign moments. Wintour supported Joe Biden for the 2020 United States presidential election.
The Devil Wears Prada
Lauren Weisberger, a former assistant to Anna Wintour, wrote The Devil Wears Prada. The book was highly anticipated because it was thought to be an inside look at Wintour. Wintour said she enjoys fiction but hadn't decided if she would read it. While the book's fashion magazine setting and the character Miranda Priestly are believed to be based on Vogue and Wintour, Weisberger says she used experiences from her own life and her friends' lives.
In the book, Miranda Priestly has many similarities to Wintour. She is British, has two children, and is a big supporter of the Met. Priestly is shown as a demanding boss who makes impossible requests.
The Movie Adaptation
During the making of The Devil Wears Prada movie in 2005, there were rumors that Wintour was telling famous fashion people not to appear in the film. She denied this, saying she was interested in anything that "supports fashion." Many designers are mentioned in the movie, but only one, Valentino Garavani, appeared as himself.
The movie was released in mid-2006 and was a big success. Wintour attended the premiere wearing Prada. In the movie, actress Meryl Streep played Priestly. Streep's performance was praised, and her character was seen as more sympathetic than in the book. Wintour's office in the film was so similar to her real one that she reportedly redecorated hers.
Wintour reportedly thought the movie would only be released on DVD. However, it earned over $300 million worldwide. Later in 2006, Wintour told Barbara Walters that she found the film "really entertaining." She praised it for making fashion "entertaining and glamorous."
Some critics compared The September Issue documentary to The Devil Wears Prada movie. They said the documentary helped show the real person behind the character.
Other films have also featured characters with similarities to Anna Wintour. Edna Mode from The Incredibles (2004) has a similar hairstyle. Johnny Depp said he partly based Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) on Wintour's demeanor. Fey Sommers in the TV show Ugly Betty (2006–2010) was also compared to Wintour, from her bob haircut and sunglasses to her name sounding like "summer" while Wintour's sounds like "winter."
See also
In Spanish: Anna Wintour para niños
- New Yorkers in journalism
- Vogue World 2024
