After Wintour: What the Queen of Fashion’s Step Back Means for Vogue

On June 26, 2025, the fashion world witnessed the end of an era. Anna Wintour, the iconic editor whose sunglasses became as synonymous with Vogue as its masthead, officially stepped down as Editor-in-Chief of U.S. Vogue. She did so after an unprecedented 37-year reign. Following her announcement, headlines screamed retirement. Yet, this is not quite a farewell. Wintour remains Global Editorial Director of Vogue and Global Chief Content Officer of Condé Nast—two roles that ensure she still holds the brand’s highest reins. Her decision is less about leaving, more about repositioning. It is a strategic move that signals Vogue’s global rebranding.

Since 1988, Wintour has not simply run Vogue—she defined it. She was the first to bring celebrities to the covers of the magazine, beginning with Madonna in 1989, forever altering the intersection of fashion and entertainment. But it wasn’t just entertainment that she melted with fashion; it was politics. Putting figures like Michelle Obama, Serena Williams, Greta Thunberg, and Malala Yousafzai on the cover, she used her power to amplify voices that needed to be heard.

Her influence extended to events as well, as can be seen through the Met Gala. She transformed a museum fundraiser into a global media spectacle, which is now considered “fashion’s biggest night out.” Becoming its chair in 1995, she not only curated its guestlist to be invite-only and specific to her standards, but she also, through fashion journalism, used it to increase its fundraising and make the Red Carpet what it is today.

Her incredible influence helped launch or solidify the careers of many designers. Alexander McQueen, for example, stated, “Anna Wintour was the only one who believed in me in the beginning. Without her, I don’t think I’d be where I am today,” in a 2010 Vogue UK interview. Similarly, in 2015, in Women’s Wear Daily, Marc Jacobs explained, “Anna’s support changed everything. She took a chance on me when I was unknown, and Vogue’s coverage opened doors I never imagined.” Other big names can easily be mentioned here: Tom Ford, Phoebe Philo, Tory Burch… Under her, fashion gave chances to those who might not have been known otherwise. Style became political, for everyone, and inseparable from cultural influence.

With all that said, her decision on June 26th to step away from the U.S. title is not a diminishing of power. It is a redistribution of it. Now with a focus on global leadership, Wintour is overseeing a massive structural rebrand that reshapes Vogue from a U.S.-centric empire into a global fashion network. Editions like Vogue Philippines, Vogue Arabia, and Vogue Mexico y Latinoamérica will no longer be sidelined regional outposts. Instead, Vogue is preparing for a more decentralized, multicultural future—one where editorial authority doesn’t reside in one office, one city, or one singular voice.

Going hand in hand with this decentralization of power, Vogue won’t even be appointing a new U.S. Editor-in-Chief. Instead, the title “Head of Editorial Content” will replace it. This is an enormous opportunity as a new voice and talent could truly broaden Vogue’s vision. Covers might reflect a richer spectrum of race, body type, gender identity, and political perspective. Editorials might spotlight young designers from underserved regions or investigate the industry’s most urgent issues: sustainability, digital transformation, and AI-generated design. However, since Wintour’s leadership was built on sharp, uncompromising clarity, Vogue risks becoming diluted or directionless. The magazine could struggle to define its voice. After all, Anna’s word was law for 37 years. The decision of her so-called replacement won’t be easy, but as former editor of British Vogue, Alexandra Shulman explained, Anna “will still have the final say” of who will follow her.

Overall, Anna’s move is undeniably symbolic. It signals the beginning of a new, more pluralistic era where the US will not be the only spotlight, and new talent will be tested. But as the inspiration for The Devil Wears Prada pointed out, “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.” Anna Wintour has passed the torch; now the question is whether the next generation can carry it forward with equal brilliance and leadership.