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Who Is Anna Wintour? Get to Know the ‘Vogue’ Editor Behind the Annual Met Gala
When most people hear the name Anna Wintour, they think of the iconic fashion magazine Vogue and its annual, star-studded event the Met Gala.
The editor-in-chief has chaired or co-chaired the Met Gala, held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, since 1995 (with the exception of ’96), and each year she makes a splash on the red carpet.
The journalist is known for her style, regularly sporting her chic bob and signature black shades at Hollywood’s most glamorous events and parties. In Touch takes a deeper dive into her life, including more about her celebrated career and beloved family.
Anna Wintour’s Father Was a Journalist
Born on November 3, 1949, in Hampstead, London, Anna is the daughter of Eleanor “Nonie” Trego Baker and Charles Wintour, who served as editor of the Evening Standard and helped his daughter secure a job in style when she was 15. “I think my father really decided for me that I should work in fashion,” Anna said in The September Issue, a 2009 documentary film about the inner workings of Vogue.
Anna Wintour Began Working at ‘Vogue’ in the 1980s
Anna was a fashion editor at New York magazine before landing a job at Vogue in the early 1980s, becoming the magazine’s first creative director. In 1985, Anna took over British Vogue after then-editor Beatrix Miller retired. Following a brief stint at House & Garden in 1987, Anna returned to Vogue and became editor of the U.S. edition, a title she has held since 1988. She is also the Global Editorial Director of Vogue and has served as Global Chief Content Officer and Artistic Director of Condé Nast.
Anna Wintour Has Been Married and Divorced Twice
Anna wed David Shaffer in 1984 and welcomed two children with the child psychiatrist and pediatrician before they divorced in 1999 (he died from respiratory failure in October 2023 at age 87). She would later marry investor partner Shelby Bryan — whom she met at the Benefit Ball for the New York Ballet in 1997 when they were both in other marriages — in 2004. When their romance became tabloid fodder shortly after her divorce from David, she told New York magazine, “There are certain things that no one wants to read about in the tabloid press,” adding, “You know that your friends and your family have one vision, and if the outside world has another, then that’s just something that you just don’t focus on.” It was revealed in 2020 that she and Shelby quietly split years before.
Anna Wintour Has 2 Children
Anna and David welcomed son Charles in 1985 and daughter Bee in 1987. According to People, Bee works as a television producer, and Charles is a psychiatrist. Both of their weddings were featured in Vogue; Bee to Italian film director Francesco Carrozzini and Charles to Elizabeth Cordry. Anna is also a grandmother to Bee’s son Oliver and Charles’ daughters Caroline and Ella. However, in 2022, the famed journalist revealed that the children don’t call her grandma — instead, they refer to her as “Anna.”
Anna Wintour Inspired Meryl Streep’s Character in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’
When Lauren Weisberger‘s hit novel The Devil Wears Prada was published in 2003, it was believed that the character of Miranda Priestly, editor-in-chief of the fictional fashion magazine Runway, was based on Anna. However, the author — who was previously a Vogue assistant for Anna — has said that she drew on both her personal life experiences and those of her friends for the book. When asked about the novel, Anna told The New York Times, “I always enjoy a great piece of fiction. I haven’t decided whether I am going to read it or not.” The Devil Wears Prada was adapted into a 2006 feature film starring Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly.
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