Anna Wintour, the lioness in winter: Top fashion moments and controversies of icon stepping aside as Vogue editor-in-chief

Anna Wintour, the legendary editor-in-chief of American Vogue announced on Thursday (June 26) that she would step aside from the role, which she held for 37 years. After nearly four decades at the helm, shaping not only the fashion magazine but the global cultural industry, Wintour will remain the parent company Condé Nast’s global chief content officer and Vogue’s global editorial director. It might sound like a cliche, but it's indeed the end of an era. Wintour, 75, is the recipient of honours, criticism, scorn and fear, and a cultural powerhouse whether you like her or not. Her time as the Vogue editor was dotted with controversies. Here are some of them:

When the printer called to know if her first Vogue Cover was a mistake

The November 1988 cover of Vogue, the first since Wintour took over as editor, caused quite a fashion storm. A model in jeans was featured on the cover page for the first time in the history of the magazine, which started publishing in 1892. The cover featured Michaela Bercu in a mix of high and low fashion: a $10,000 Christian Lacroix jacket paired with a cheap $50 Guess jeans. This shocked the industry, and changed Vogue's look forever. Legend has it that the magazine's printer called to check if it was a mistake.

When a former assistant wrote The Devil Wears Prada, and Wintour attended the film premiere

In 2003, Lauren Weisberger, an ex-aide of Wintour, wrote the book The Devil Wears Prada, documenting her demanding leadership style without actually naming her. Instead of sullying her image, the book, and the 2006 Meryl Streep-starrer based on it, made Wintour more famous. She in fact became a cultural icon, labelled as the 'ice queen' after the release of the book and the film, whose premiere she herself attended.

When she reinvented the Met Gala

Once a local event of New York socialites, the Met Gala was transformed into a global fashion event since 1995 when Wintour took over as its chair. She had near-absolute creative control over the celebrity-led event, often called fashion's biggest night. She decided on the themes and guest lists. However, the Met Gala under Wintour was not without its controversies. In 2015, for instance, Wintour faced accusations of cultural appropriation for the theme, 'China Through the Looking Glass'.

When she faced allegations of racial stereotypes

In April 2008, the Vogue cover paired basketball legend LeBron James with model Gisele Bündchen. Wintour was accused of racial stereotyping, as James was somehow made to pose like King Kong, the fictional gorilla. This was one of the many controversial editorial choices Wintour made.

When she got hate for her love of fur

The 1990s saw the eruption of the anti-fur movement, with animal rights organisations like PETA slamming fashion that emerges from cruelty. Wintour always loved fur and was quite unabashed about it. In 1993, PETA held a protest at her office and even threw a dead raccoon on her plate when she was dining.

When she stuck to the decision to feature Kim Kardashian and Kanye West on Vogue cover

In April 2014, Wintour was criticised for putting Kim Kardashian and Kanye West on the Vogue cover. Wintour stuck to her guns, saying the reality show star and rapper, who were a couple at the time, had cultural relevance.

When she issued a rare apology on diversity and race

Amid the racial tensions after the death of African American George Floyd at the hands of US police, Wintour issued an apology to the Vogue staff. She acknowledged that the magazine failed to promote and give space to Black editors, writers, photographers, designers, and other creators.

When long-term collaborator wrote a memoir against her

André Leon Talley, who worked for years with Wintour, wrote the book The Chiffon Trenches in 2020, detailing her ruthlessness. It was a damning expose, describing what went inside the rooms at vogue and various fashion events associated with it, including Met Gala.