Fri, 11/21/08 — 02:46:29 PM
>> INSIDER WIRE —When Anna Wintour was asked by previous alma mater New York Magazine about her retirement plans the day after rumors of her retirement circulated, she didn't take too kindly to it: "I'm so sorry, I think that's an extremely rude question. Leave me alone . . . Go away" It seems like the subject is a sore spot, especially since she didn't deny the rumors — or maybe she was just fixated on the fact that in 2008, competitor Elle had one of its most successful ad years ever. [The Cut]
*image: source
Tue, 11/18/08 — 01:30:10 PM
>> Is Anna Wintour ready to put the cap at twenty years of Vogue? Her contract is said to be up soon, according to a Page Six source, and she's thinking of retiring: "She feels she's done it all and had enough. She has been putting out feelers to intimate friends recommending a possible replacement to Si Newhouse. She's so tired out, she just let Men's Vogue close instead of fighting for it."
This news is especially timely, since Vogue's decreasing ad numbers just came out, and Si Newhouse is about to take his annual month-long European sabbatical in December — the one where he figures out what at Conde Nast needs fixing and then comes back in January, the month when he typically hires and fires, making big changes at the company.
Si is famous for his dislike of confrontation, and many of his editors in the past have said their first inkling of trouble was when they were fired — the editor Anna replaced at Vogue, Grace Mirabella, was never given a reason for her dismissal, and found out about it from a television report.
Sudden and unforeseen dismissal doesn't seem a way Anna would want to go — she always has to be on top of her game — so retirement seems more in character. A rep denies the reports, but I'm more curious about these replacements she's suggested. Honestly, who could instill the fascination and fear that Anna can?
*image: source
Tue, 11/18/08 — 10:24:42 AM
>> For its fifth anniversary, the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund went with the obvious choice, naming Alexander Wang the recipient of $200,000 plus a year of mentoring last night. Vogue favorite Vena Cava and a less expected choice, milliner Albertus Swanepoel of Albertus Quartus, were both named runners-up and will receive $50,000 plus a business mentor. The night's keynote speaker, John Galliano, and his date Charlize Theron were seated next to Anna Wintour and presented the top honors to a teary-eyed Alexander Wang, who said his thank yous onstage as John Galliano rubbed his arm in comfort.
Top hats seemed to be the order of the evening — Julie Gilhart and John Galliano each sported one, the latter with a daisy chain, and Agyness Deyn had on a squished version — while carrot pants and one-shouldered dresses also received numerous nods. Plenty of models are already back in town from the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show: Anne Vyalitsyna came with Costello Tagliapietra, Maryna Linchuk with Rag & Bone, Doutzen Kroes with Irene Neuwirth, and Arlenis Sosa Pena with Rogan.
*image: source, source
Mon, 11/10/08 — 03:25:06 PM
>> Anna Wintour has been harangued by PETA throughout her Vogue editorship, and try as she may to elicit a reaction, Ingrid Newkirk, president and co-founder of PETA, can't get anything out of Anna. She's gatecrashed Vogue headquarters, causing Anna to barricade herself in her office. She famously served Anna a dead raccoon at the Four Seasons in 1996, but Anna merely covered it with her napkin and ordered coffee. She's even overseen Anna being smacked in the face with tofu pie during Paris Fashion Week — still, no response in return.
In a new profile of Newkirk by the Financial Times, Anna was asked repeatedly to make a comment, any comment, but to no avail — the only response was: "Ms. Wintour chooses to decline." Anna is famously choosy about interviews, and doesn't really hang a whole lot of laundry out in public, so I'm guessing a provocateur like Newkirk isn't going to make any major headway anytime soon.
*image: source
Tue, 11/04/08 — 02:25:35 PM
>> INSIDER WIRE —Anna Wintour can have her three assistants do pretty much everything for her, but voting is not one of those tasks. She was pap-snapped standing in the three hour-long line to vote earlier today — and it looks like she's trying to slip behind that column. No need to hide, Anna, we know who you're voting for. [Daily Intel]
