Anna Wintour named Condé Nast’s artistic director

Forget all that you know and imagine this with a smile on your face: you’re a woman. An idolised woman who is respected, famous and arguably the single most important person in the world of fashion journalism. What you say, goes, and you are so respected that all you have to do is say ‘hmm’ to a new collection and the designer is already drawing up new designs and buying new fabrics. Numerous films have been based on and made about you, and your annual Met Ball is so popular even Kim Kardashian was angling for an invite. But, luckily for fiction, that’s not all. Despite rubbing shoulders with the Obamas and being editor of American Vogue for 25 years, you have just been given another career – one that was created just for you. Feeling honoured? Yep? Well, we hope Anna Wintour is too…

Finally ending speculation that she would be ambassador to either England or France, Wintour took up the post as Condé Nast’s artistic director. According to the publishing house, this newly created job will allow Wintour to “curate and cultivate the creative vision for the company” as well as “shape its artistic inspiration and innovation across all platforms” – a job description similar to that of Alexander Liberman, who was once Condé Nast’s editorial director for over 30 years, only stepping down in 1994. Wintour will also take over some of the responsibilities currently held by Condé Nast’s aging 85-year-old chairman, SI Newhouse Jr.

However, although Wintour will now have influence over the entire publishing company (which includes 17 publications and 27 websites, such as Tatler and Vanity Fair), she will still remain editor of American Vogue and editorial director of Teen Vogue. Commenting on her new role, Wintour told the New York Times that she sees the job as a “one-person consulting firm”. Jerry Oppenheimer, author of Wintour’s biography Front Row, stated that “Condé Nast does not want to lose her. She has proved herself in a very tough corporate environment and risen to the top.” He added: “She was already at the top of the fashion world, and this [job] just makes it official.”

Diandra Todesco