Anna Wintour
Anna Wintour
Anna Wintour, OBEis a British-American journalist and editor. She has been editor-in-chief of Vogue since 1988. In 2013, she became artistic director for Condé Nast, Vogue's publisher. With her trademark pageboy bob haircut and dark sunglasses, Wintour has become an important figure in much of the fashion world, widely praised for her eye for fashion trends and her support for younger designers. Her reportedly aloof and demanding personality has earned her the nickname "Nuclear Wintour"...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionFashion Designer
Date of Birth3 November 1949
CityLondon, England
I like having young assistants in my office; they have energy, and I spend time with them to make sure they understand what we're doing. By investing in them, I'm investing in the magazine. All over 'Vogue,' 'Teen Vogue,' and 'Men's Vogue,' there are people who have been through not only my office but also many other offices at 'Vogue.'
I saw young women in the street dressing in a way that I thought was influencing the designers. Fashion was being influenced by all sorts of different people, and culture and also across the street. So I saw more as a trickle up, than a trickle down influence. When I came to Vogue, that's what I wanted it to reflect.
I’m very driven by what I do. I am certainly very competitive. I like people who represent the best at what they do. If that turns you into a perfectionist then maybe I am.
I'd just been on a trip to Minnesota, where I can only kindly describe most of the people I saw as little houses.
I don’t like people who are late.
Some people have the Bible. I have Vogue.
I surround myself with a talented group of people that are opinionated and interesting. I try to remain very open to what others have to say.
I'm very good at delegating - people work much better when they have a real sense of responsibility. But at the same time, I don't like surprises. I don't pore over every shoot, but I do like to be aware at all times of what's going on.
Just be true to yourself, and listen as much as one is able to to other people whose opinions you respect and look up to but in the end it has to come from you. You can’t really worry too much by looking to the left and the right about what the competition is doing or what other people in your field are doing. It has to be a true vision.
You can’t really worry too much…about what the competition is doing or what other people in your field are doing. It has to be a true vision.
There is something about fashion that can make people really nervous.
People respond well to those that are sure of what they want.
Because of reality television and all these celebrities thinking they can be designers, everyone imagines that they can just become a designer, photographer, or model, but that's not the way things work. People have to go to school, learn their craft, and build a brand - that's the right, healthy way to do things.
I don't think I am that hands-on. I'm much more of a believer in finding a great team of people and trusting them to follow their instincts. They work better when they feel they have freedom and they are trusted.