1892: The Birth of Vogue Magazine

Vogue was initially founded by Arthur Baldwin Turnure, a wealthy businessman in New York City. It was initially launched as a weekly society magazine for New York’s elite - covering fashion, high society events, social etiquette, and reviews of the arts across plays, books and music.

The magazine acted as a chronicle of the social life and customs of the upper class.

1902: Condé Nast Takeover

In 1909, Condé Montrose Nast (founder) purchased the Vogue publication, shifting it to a monthly fashion and women’s lifestyle magazine. Most notably Condé Nast introduced glossy color printing and expanded the publication globally with international editions.

Condé Nast hired high quality photographers, prestigious writers and famous illustrators to brand Vogue as a luxury product.

1980s Vogue

1983: Anna Joins Condé Nast

Anna was hired as U.S. Vogue’s Creative Director in 1983. Previously she worked at Harper’s Bazaar and launched the UK version of Vogue’s sister magazine, Savvy.

Wintour was already being considered as the successor to the Editor-in-Chief of the time, Grace Mirabella.

1988: Anna Becomes Editor-in-Chief of U.S. Vogue

Anna’s first issue was in November of 1988, featuring model Michaela Bercu wearing a Christian Lacroix couture jacket with stonewash jeans. The cover signified a bold new era of mixing high fashion with street style and accessibility. It differed from the heavily posed and styled covers of the past.

1990s Vogue

1990s: Rise of the Supermodel and Celebrity Era

Wintour established Vogue magazine as a celebrity-driven platform that blended fashion, culture, and entertainment. In the 90’s, Anna is credited with helping launch the careers of supermodels Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, Kate Moss, and more.

Supermodels became internationally famous celebrities that appeared in music videos, TV shows, or became brand ambassadors.

“We don’t wake up for less than $10,000 a day.” - Linda Evangelista

Vogue’s platform catapulted models into stardom, while pouring fashion into mainstream pop culture. The legacy of the supermodel era redefined the role of fashion models forever and remains the groundwork foundation for model’s visibility today.

1995: Wintour Transforms the Met Gala

Anna has acted as chair or co-chair of every gala since 1995. She transformed the event from a society fundraiser to a multi-million dollar global fashion spectacle. Every first Monday of May, the Met Gala raises millions of dollars for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City.

2003: Celebrating New Designers

The CFDA / Vogue Fashion Fund was launched in 2003 to provide mentorship, funding, and exposure to emerging American designers such as Alexander Wang, Proenza Schouler, and Christopher John Rogers. The program cemented Vogue as a key leader in fashion industry development.

2006: The Devil Wears Prada

The Devil Wears Prada film was released in 2006 and based on Lauren Weisberger’s novel published in April 2003. The book was loosely based on Weisberger’s real life experience working as Anna Wintour’s assistant at Vogue.

Though fictional, the book and film offer insight into Wintour’s reputation for being demanding, visionary and powerful. The Devil Wears Prada 2 film will be released on May 1, 2026.

2010: Launch of the Digital Age

Anna oversaw Vogue’s digital transformation and embraced online content, social media, and influencer culture. Vogue.com itself became a major fashion platform under her guidance and helped Vogue stay relevant and appeal to younger audiences in the digital age.

2013: Teen Vogue

The mission of Teen Vogue was to expand Vogue’s reach to a younger demographic. The publication offered fashion and beauty tips and was deemed more mature, stylish, and aspirational compared to competitor teen magazines.

In 2016 the magazine shifted to feature progressive political, social and activism articles, covering the Black Lives Matter movement, immigration, climate justice, and LGBTQ+ rights. The publication encouraged teen political literacy, activism, and critical thinking.

In 2017 Teen Vogue went fully digital, proving that print didn’t need to be the strategy to generate a cultural impact with Gen Z.

2025: Power Shifts in the Business of Vogue

In June 2025, Anna Wintour announced she was stepping down from her position as Editor-in-Chief of American Vogue, a title she’d held since 1988.

She currently serves as Global Chief Content Officer of Condé Nast and Global Editorial Director of Vogue. This allows Anna to spend more time and energy focusing on Vogue’s international markets.

The Head of Editorial Content position was announced in June as a role that would lead the daily operations of U.S. Vogue across all platforms and directly report to Anna.

On September 2nd, Chloe Malle was appointed HOEC of American Vogue. She first joined the publication in 2011 and had been editor of Vogue.com and co-host of The Run-Through with Vogue podcast. She further initiated or expanded editorial projects such as Dogue and Vogue Vintage Guide.