Why Vogue US’ editor-in-chief will never go out of fashion

Wintour’s significant legacy extends beyond the magazine she edited, which never attained the creative credibility of Vogue’s Italian edition under Franca Sozzani or journalistic approach of British Vogue under Alexandra Shulman from 1992 to 2017. The infamous 2011 profile of now-deposed Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad’s wife, Asma, as an inspirational figure described as “the most magnetic of first ladies”, temporarily dented the US edition’s reputation.

It was a rare, embarrassing moment for Wintour, the daughter of respected British newspaper editor Charles Wintour. When the story received criticism, Wintour severed ties with its author, former French Vogue editor Joan Juliet Buck, despite their 50-year friendship.

Other missteps included the magazine’s slow acknowledgment of diversity. The first black photographer to work on a Vogue cover was Tyler Mitchell in 2018 – his subject, Beyoncé, insisted on it.

The US edition became the only Vogue that really mattered by attracting advertisers and balancing the sophistication of style and the vulgarity of fame. As Wintour’s predecessor as editor of Vogue, Diana Vreeland, said: “Never fear being vulgar, just boring.” Wintour has never been boring.

After early missteps, Wintour turned Vogue into a digital force and a generator of international events. With The Met Gala, she created fashion Christmas, upstaging the Oscars red carpet and Paris Fashion Week.

Events such as Fashion’s Night Out and Vogue World further extended the magazine’s reach and revenue stream.

She has been rewarded with constant promotions within Vogue’s parent company, Condé Nast, and was made a dame in 2017 by Queen Elizabeth II, who honoured her for her contribution to fashion and journalism.

Wintour may no longer be editor-in-chief of Vogue, but as Vogue’s global editorial director and chief content officer for Condé Nast titles including WIRED, Vanity Fair, GQ, AD, Condé Nast Traveler, Glamour, Bon Appétit and Tatler, she will continue to oversee its events.

Her successor won’t even have the grand title of editor-in-chief. The magazine is searching for a head of editorial content to lead daily operations across platforms. There is only one chief. That’s all.