Through My Shades : What if Anna Wintour .....Retired?

 

As a previous Vogue intern, I am constantly interrogated about my experience at the renown magazine and quite frankly, I understand why.  People are in awe of the great Anna Wintour.  She has created a fashion empire that has set precedent over any brand or magazine in the industry.  So, God forbid, if Anna Wintour was not Editor-in-Chief at Vogue anymore.  What if she decided to just step down all-together?  What would the fashion world come to??? 
Well P.E.T.A. might be overjoyed, but as a fashion enthusiast, this could have some heavy weight on my future fashion editorial career.  Would the fashion house of cards fall down? Well, let me tell you what I think would happen and it is not such a fashionable sight. 

First, I think Grace Coddington would follow after her and retire as well.  Seeing that Grace is 71 and the two have worked together for many years, I cannot see this pair ever separating. And just like "Batman and Robin", you don't get one without the other. The fashion industry would be out of two ground breaking editors.  

Second, sales would go down.  The magazine has been built with the esteem of Anna Wintour. There are a lot of people who purchase the magazine simply because she is the Editor-in-Chief.  When, Anna Wintour speaks, people listen.  When, she says that something in the fashion industry needs to be changed, it's changed.  What will happen if her voice is silent.  Will people be interested anymore?  Just as a Michael Jordan is the celebrity endorser for Nike, Anna Wintour is the Celebrity Endorser for Vogue. 

Third, not only would Vogue's sales be affected but designers as well.  Anna is so much more than the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue.  Without her, there would be no CFDA, MET museum of art (Costume Institute), and Fashion's Night Out.  She has also endorsed so many new young designers, such as Alexander Wang, Prabal, and Philip Lim who might have still been irrelevant without her blessings. She not only brings in young new designers, she keeps older designers relevant.  The influence she has is an influence that no other magazine editor can compete with.  She has the power to make or break a career, including Vogue.

Lastly, her artistic vision would be lost.  She dabbles in everything when it comes to the magazine.  Vogue is truly a top-down business and Anna is at the top.  Whether it is the advertisement, photos or features she has her hand of approval in it all.  Without her hand or at least the perception of her being active in Vogue, I'm not sure of the future of Vogue or the Fashion Industry as a whole.