Anna Wintour Steps Down as American Vogue Editor-in-Chief

After nearly four decades, Anna Wintour is stepping down as editor-in-chief of American Vogue.

On June 25, 2025, WWD reported that Vogue is hiring a new head of editorial content. The move ends Wintour’s direct leadership of the U.S. edition, a role she has held since 1988. She will stay on as Condé Nast’s chief content officer and as global editorial director of Vogue.

This transition comes at a time of major change across the magazine world. Condé Nast has faced backlash over diversity issues, layoffs, and shifting reader habits. While the company framed the news as a planned transition, many see it as the end of an era.

Within minutes, The Times of London, Bloomberg, and Page Six confirmed the story. Wintour reportedly informed staff during a morning meeting on June 25. Sources say she will remain influential across the brand, but her grip on the American edition is loosening.

Fashion insiders have mixed reactions. Some see a chance for fresh ideas and new voices. Others question whether the change will go beyond appearances. Wintour’s legacy remains powerful, but younger readers expect more transparency, diversity, and cultural relevance.

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Key Sources

Anna Wintour redefined fashion media. She also controlled it with an iron grip wrapped in Chanel tweed. For 37 years, her taste shaped careers, destroyed brands, and transformed September issues into cultural events. But even this enduring power cannot outlast time. The announcement that American Vogue will install a new editorial head is more than a staffing update; it’s the end of an era. Whether this transition sparks true innovation or just cosmetic change will depend on who Condé Nast dares to choose next. Fashion’s future won’t be written in pencil margins. It will be posted, streamed, and stitched into the algorithm of what Vogue dares to be now.

WWD — Official report on the search for a new editorial content head

People — Coverage of the staff announcement and Wintour’s continuing role

The Independent — Reactions to Wintour’s legacy in fashion journalism