Anna Wintour steps down as head of Vogue US after 37-year reign
A major page in fashion history has been turned. After 37 years at the helm of Vogue US, Anna Wintour has announced that she is stepping down as editor-in-chief. An undisputed industry figure, she was appointed in 1988, at a time when the magazine was struggling to reinvent itself. Since then, she has transformed it into a veritable cultural reference, far beyond fashion.
A mature decision, a new organization to come
The official announcement was made at an internal meeting on Wednesday June 25. Anna Wintour informed her teams that the title was preparing to recruit a new “Head of Editorial Content” exclusively for the American edition of Vogue. This future director will be responsible for the day-to-day editorial management of the magazine – a responsibility that Wintour has carried alone until now. However, she is not jumping ship: this departure does not mean retirement, but rather a strategic restructuring of roles within Condé Nast.
It retains the world’s most influential positions
Anna Wintour remains Chief Content Officer of Condé Nast, the group that publishes Vogue, as well as Global Editorial Director of Vogue. In other words, she will continue to oversee all international editions of the title, directing its creative vision on a global scale and making major event decisions. She also retains the reins of the Met Gala, for which she has been the iconic organizer for several decades, as well as the recently launched Vogue World events in New York, London and Paris.
A legendary career shaped by visual innovation
When she arrived in 1988, Anna Wintour imposed a radically new vision. She was the first to put Hollywood celebrities on the cover, to cross haute couture and pop culture, to reinvent fashion photography as a narrative vehicle. Her flair for emerging talents – such as Alexander McQueen or John Galliano in their early days – solidified her reputation as an icon-spotter. Dubbed the “papess of fashion”, she also inspired Miranda Priestly’s character in The Devil Wears Prada – proof of her aura in the collective imagination.
A controlled handover, in Vogue’s DNA
This departure from US Vogue in no way seems hasty. On the contrary, it’s part of a controlled handover: Anna Wintour herself declares that she wants to “prepare the next generation of editorial leaders”. Her uncompromising style, sharp eye and global network still make her a central figure in the media landscape. By retaining her global functions, she makes it clear that the transition is local, but the influence remains global.
A new era begins for Vogue US
This decision comes at a key moment for the medium. In a constantly changing ecosystem – between social networks, influencers and new digital formats – Vogue US must reinvent itself without losing its aura of excellence. The future director will therefore face a major challenge: preserving the Wintour legacy while embodying a new voice, perhaps more inclusive, more generational, or more digital.
Things to remember
Anna Wintour isn’t leaving the world of fashion: she’s repositioning her role. Less about operations, more about vision. Vogue US, for its part, is preparing to enter a new chapter – with a different pen, but still under the exacting eye of the woman who transformed it into a global icon .
