Anna Wintour Steps Aside as Vogue’s Editor, Still Holds Reins
Big changes are on the horizon for American Vogue, and they’re not the kind that happen every day. After nearly 40 years in the top seat, Anna Wintour is stepping down from her role as editor-in-chief of the magazine’s US edition.
For many people in the fashion world and beyond, it’s a moment that feels like the end of an era. Wintour shared the news directly with staffers on Thursday.
Although she’s leaving the role that made her one of fashion’s most influential figures, she isn’t walking away from Vogue or Condé Nast entirely. She’s shifting her focus, stepping back from her day-to-day duties but keeping her positions as Vogue’s global editorial director and Condé Nast’s global chief content officer.
That means she’ll still have plenty of sway across the company’s many brands. According to Vogue, the person who takes over her US editor-in-chief role will hold the new title of “head of editorial content.”
During her long tenure, Wintour turned American Vogue from a publication that many considered stale into a cultural force that could launch trends - or end them. One of her boldest moves came right at the start: her very first issue as editor-in-chief in November 1988 featured Israeli model Michaela Bercu wearing stonewashed jeans on the cover.
It was a major break from tradition. Until then, Vogue covers had stuck to a polished, formal style, but Wintour wasn’t afraid to shake things up. That decision set the tone for what would become a magazine willing to take risks and embrace change.
Wintour modernized Vogue with relaxed covers, like the 1992 issue featuring Richard Gere, keeping it culturally relevant.
She kept pushing the envelope throughout her time at the helm. Gone were the carefully controlled studio portraits that had dominated Vogue for decades. Instead, Wintour’s covers often featured models or celebrities photographed in more relaxed, natural settings.
This shift made the magazine feel fresher and more connected to real life, even as it covered the highest echelons of fashion. One of her most talked-about decisions came in 1992, when she put Richard Gere on the cover alongside Cindy Crawford, who was his wife at the time.
It was the first time in Vogue’s long history that a man appeared on the cover. Moves like that showed Wintour wasn’t interested in playing by outdated rules; she was more focused on reflecting what was exciting and relevant in culture.
Though her name is synonymous with Vogue, Wintour’s influence grew beyond just one magazine. In 2020, she stepped into a new role as Condé Nast’s chief content officer, giving her oversight of all the company’s titles around the world.
That includes big names like Vanity Fair, GQ, Wired, Architectural Digest, Bon Appétit, and Condé Nast Traveler. Under her leadership, these publications often took bolder editorial approaches, leaning into stories that resonated with a broader, more modern audience.
Wintour’s decision to scale back isn’t simply a retirement. Instead, it’s part of a larger restructuring at Condé Nast, which has been adjusting its organization globally to adapt to the changing media landscape. Print media has faced big challenges in recent years, from declining subscriptions to shifts in how people consume content.
Companies like Condé Nast are rethinking how they work to stay relevant and financially healthy, and changes at the very top are a part of that strategy.
Anna Wintour’s exit signals big changes at Vogue and highlights fashion media’s slow move toward more diversity.
But no matter how expected these shifts may be, there’s no denying that Wintour stepping aside from American Vogue is a massive moment for the fashion industry. It opens the door for new voices and fresh ideas at a publication that has shaped conversations around style, culture, and celebrity for decades.
Whoever steps into the new head of editorial content role will inherit a platform that can still make or break careers and set the tone for fashion around the world. It also highlights just how much the industry has been evolving.
Two years ago, Chioma Nnadi became the first Black woman to lead British Vogue, following Edward Enninful’s historic run as the magazine’s first Black editor-in-chief. These recent appointments show how the fashion media is slowly becoming more diverse, even if there’s still a long way to go.
For longtime followers of Vogue and Anna Wintour’s remarkable career, this leadership change marks a moment to look back on the magazine’s evolution over the last forty years. Under her guidance, Vogue transformed into a major force in fashion.
Now, as the magazine prepares for a new era, many are curious about the fresh perspective and direction the next editor will bring to this legendary publication.
