Nuclear Wintour Blows Up the Competition
Vogue's editor-in-chief, and media empire Condé Nast's artistic director, Anna Wintour was named the most powerful woman in media and entertainment by Forbes magazine in November. The famously forthright Wintour - who Miranda Priestly, played by Meryl Streep, in The Devil Wears Prada was modeled off of - has been editor of vogue for almost thirty years, and was named artistic director for Condé Nast back in 2013.
Wintour after her ceremony at Buckingham Palace | Image via
Wintour, who was honored as a Dame Commander of the British Empire earlier this year, is a force to be reckoned with in the fashion industry. Her influence extends past the power that would traditionally come with a role like editor-in-chief of Vogue. She has established herself as the be-all and end-all of fashion. A good word from her, the likes of which John Galliano and Thom Browne benefited from, has the potential to propel someone's carrier to unimaginable heights. Similarly, a disapproving glance can spell disaster. She herself is of course expected to have impeccable taste, and her annual $200,000 clothing budget awarded by Condé Nast is likely partly to blame for her excellent wardrobe.
Wintour has also asserted herself outside of the fashion world. She was a prominent Obama, and then Hillary, supporter, and remains an extremely active philanthropist. In fact, the Costume Institute at New York's Metropolitan Museum, of which she is on the board, was named after her to honor her contributions to fashion. Her association with the museum extends back to 1995 when she began running the 'Met Gala,' one of the most exclusive events of the season.
Anna Wintour at the 2014 Met Gala in Chanel (her go-to designer) | Image via
What makes Forbes' ranking particularly relevant is the timeliness of it all. The magazine industry is one that many claim is only headed in one direction - the drain. Establishing a firm reader base in this day and age has proved notoriously difficult, and requires a willingness to break the mold - a trait that is all too rare. Yet Wintour, who was appointed in 1988 in order to revolutionize Vogue's drab reputation, has proven she is up to this new task. The magazine has managed to remain relevant throughout these tumultuous times, and has committed a significant amount of energy and resources to establishing a firm online presence.
Anna Wintour pictured with fellow 'powerful woman' Beyonce Knowles at the YEEZY Season 1 show during NYFW in 2015 | Image via
Wintour faced some tough competition, with her placing ahead of the likes of Dana Walden, CEO of Fox Television Group, and Bonnie Hammer, Chairwoman of NBCU. The list itself has a focus on roles that are perhaps more out of the spotlight, a shift from a group that has traditionally been dominated by celebrity moguls. The top ten most powerful women in the media and entertainment are as follows:
- Anna Wintour, Artistic Director at Condé Nast and Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Magazine
- Bonnie Hammer, Chairwoman of NBCU
- Stacey Snider, Chairwoman and CEO of 20th Century Fox
- Beyonce Knowles, Need I Say More?
- Margarita Simonyan, Editor-in-Chief of RT
- Dana Walden, CEO of Fox Television Group
- Katharine Viner, Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian
- Donna Langley, Chairwoman of Universal Pictures
- Zanny Minton Beddoes, Editor-in-Chief of Th Economist
- Kathleen Kennedy, President of Lucasfilms
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