Anna Wintour, queen of New York fashion, to step away from American Vogue

Anna Wintour, one of the most influential figures in global fashion, is stepping down as editor-in-chief of American Vogue, the magazine she has sat atop for 37 years.

- Edward Helmore

British-born Wintour, 75, made the surprise announcement yesterday, telling staff the magazine would be hiring a new head of editorial content.

Wintour will continue as Vogue's global editorial director as well as chief content officer for the parent company, Condé Nast.

The Business of Fashion, an industry journal, said the move came in response to how Wintour's role has expanded in recent years to oversee all the titles in the Condé Nast fold, from American Vogue, otherwise known as "big Vogue", to Vanity Fair, GQ, Wired and others.

Bringing on a new head of editorial content in New York, it said, "will allow her to more equally distribute her time among the other titles under her supervision".

The announcement brings to an end rumours that have swirled for years that the fashion industry's undisputed queen might step aside.

After various attempted putsches were put down, and a moment of uncertainty during the social justice protests of the early 2020s over representation and diversity, Wintour simply accrued more power.