This summer brought major changes to the American edition of Vogue: Anna Wintour stepped down as editor-in-chief of the magazine. On the eve of her departure, she gave an interview to The New Yorker, where she spoke about her successor and shared her opinion on the film The Devil Wears Prada.

In her conversation with David Remnick, Anna Wintour spoke warmly about her successor, Chloé Malle:

«We had many wonderful candidates, but Chloé always showed the clearest vision and offered the most original ideas. She understands that fashion does not exist in a vacuum — that it is the result of many different influences.»

Wintour also emphasized that she has no intention of interfering with her successor’s decisions. According to the former editor-in-chief, people tend to exaggerate when they talk about her supposed total control.

«There are so many different editions of Vogue that it’s impossible to oversee everything. I think it’s very important to surround yourself with people you admire and respect. I rely on our editors. I might say that I don’t like something, but they may argue that their idea will work in another culture,» she explained.

Anna Wintour also commented on The Devil Wears Prada. In this iconic film, Meryl Streep portrayed an editor-in-chief inspired by Wintour herself. According to Anna, at the time the entire fashion industry feared the movie would cast her in an unflattering light. Nevertheless, she noted that she attended the premiere dressed in Prada, without even knowing what the film was about.

Interestingly, Wintour admitted that she actually enjoyed the movie:

«I had a wonderful time watching it. It turned out to be funny and witty. And of course, it starred Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt—they were all fantastic.»

As a reminder, Anna Wintour, who led Vogue for 37 years, announced in June that she would be stepping down as editor-in-chief. She stressed that she wanted to pass the baton to a new generation that would bring a fresh perspective to the industry. On September 2, she officially introduced her successor, Chloé Malle.

Photo: Instagram @chloemalle