Anna Wintour to step aside as editor of American Vogue
Dame Anna Wintour is to step aside from her role as the day-to-day editor of American Vogue, with the magazine hiring a new head of editorial content.
British-born Dame Anna will remain in charge of Vogue globally and as chief content officer of the media company Conde Nast – which oversees several prominent media brands including Vogue, Vanity Fair, GQ, Allure, Conde Nast Traveler and Wired.
The new role at American Vogue will allow her to turn her full attention to her other duties in these roles, it is understood.
Dame Anna broke the news to staff during a meeting earlier on Thursday.
According to Vogue, she told staff she wanted to 'help the next generation of editors storm the field with their own ideas'.
She said: 'Anybody in a creative field knows how essential it is never to stop growing in one's work. When I became the editor of Vogue, I was eager to prove to all who might listen that there was a new, exciting way to imagine an American fashion magazine.
'Now, I find that my greatest pleasure is helping the next generation of impassioned editors storm the field with their own ideas, supported by a new, exciting view of what a major media company can be. And that is exactly the kind of person we need to now look for to be HOEC for US Vogue.'
She said many of her responsibilities would continue including 'paying close attention to the fashion industry and the creative cultural force that is our extraordinary Met Ball', and also quipped: 'And it goes without saying that I plan to remain Vogue's tennis and theatre editor in perpetuity.'
Dame Anna added: 'But how thrilling it will be to work alongside someone new who will challenge us, inspire us, and make us all think about Vogue in a myriad of original ways.'
The move brings a close to Dame Anna's 37-year stint as editor of American Vogue, having overseen the day-to-day editing of the New York fashion magazine since 1988.
The British-American editor is widely regarded as one of the most powerful women in publishing and as a major figure in the fashion world.
Dame Anna has also run the Met Gala, an annual fundraiser in New York famous for its celebrity guest list, since 1995.
Earlier this year, Dame Anna was made a member of the prestigious Order of the Companions of Honour for her services to fashion, joining Dame Judi Dench, Sir Elton John, David Hockney, and Sir Paul McCartney.
The order was founded in 1917 by George V and is limited to 65 members at any one time. Appointments go to those who have made a long-standing contribution to arts, science, medicine or government.
Following the investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace, Dame Anna said she did not intend on retiring anytime soon.
She said: 'The last time I was here the Queen gave me a medal and we both agreed that we had been doing our job a very long time, and then this morning His Majesty asked me if this meant I was going to stop working and I said firmly, no.'
Dame Anna is rumoured to have inspired a former personal assistant, Lauren Weisberger, in creating the character of Miranda Priestly for her bestselling 2003 novel The Devil Wears Prada.
The book was made into a successful movie in 2006, starring Meryl Streep in the role of Priestly.
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