It’s the end of an era — kind of.

During a Thursday staff meeting, Anna Wintour announced that she’s stepping down from her role as American Vogue‘s editor-in-chief, which she’s held since 1988. She will, however, continue on as chief content officer for Condé Nast and as Vogue‘s global editorial director. Regarding a successor for the U.S., Wintour announced the opening of a new role: head of editorial content. The idea is that this restructuring will free her up from day-to-day editing duties so that she can devote more time to each of Vogue‘s global markets.

As Condé Nast’s chief content officer, Wintour also oversees every brand globally, including Wired, Vanity Fair, GQ, AD, Condé Nast Traveler, Glamour, Bon Appetit, Tatler, World of Interiors, Allure and more, with the exception of The New Yorker.

Wintour assumed these broader roles about four years ago, when Condé Nast reconfigured its global editorial structure by bringing together the editorial teams around the world for the first time. Since then, the publisher has replaced a number of international Vogue EICs with heads of editorial content, including in Japan, China, India, Taiwan, U.K., France, Spain, Germany, Italy and the Middle East. 

Wintour is often regarded as one of the most — if not the most — influential figures in fashion, gaining a celebrity status thanks in no small part to her prevalence in pop culture, from Meryl Streep’s fictional portrayal in “The Devil Wears Prada” to R.J. Cutler’s documentary “The September Issue.” Not to mention, her short, impeccable bob haircut and oversized sunglasses have become widely-recognized representations of her persona well beyond the fashion and publishing industries.

Wintour grew up with journalism in her blood: Her father served as the editor of the London Evening Standard from 1959 to 1976, leading Wintour to begin a career in fashion journalism at two British magazines, after which she moved to the U.S. to work at both New York and House & Garden. In 1985, Wintour returned to the U.K. to become the editor-in-chief of British Vogue, only to move back to New York in 1988 to replace Grace Mirabella as Vogue‘s editor-in-chief. In 2013, she took on the additional role of Condé Nast’s artistic director.

Wintour is also known for her work with the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, which was named after Wintour in 2014. She has chaired its annual Met Gala since 1995 and, according to Business Insider, her leadership has helped to raise about $186 million for the Costume Institute. This year alone, the Met Gala for the “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” exhibit raised a record-breaking $31 million for the Costume Institute.

Wintour is a longtime supporter of the Democratic Party, having hosted top-tier fundraisers for candidates like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, the latter of whom received Vogue‘s first-ever presidential endorsement in October 2016.

Condé Nast and Wintour, specifically, have previously been the subject of criticism over the company’s lack of diversity and its treatment of Black and POC employees. Reports of a “toxic culture” at Bon Appétit resulted in Adam Rapoport’s resignation. And in a 2020 email to staff, obtained by Page Six, Wintour admitted that “Vogue has not found enough ways to elevate and give space to Black editors, writers, photographers, designers and other creators.”

While Wintour’s successor has not yet been named, previous speculation includes Chioma Nnadi, who currently serves as British Vogue‘s head of editorial content. Whomever Condé Nast (and Wintour herself) chooses, they can rest assured that she’ll be leaving some very large shoes — and sunglasses — behind to fill.

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