Guy Pewsey talks to Anna Wintour about British fashion, her demanding reputation and the size zero phenomenonThe world of fashion is one of the most, if not the most, changeable industries in the world. Trends come and go, styles ebb and flow, and a single outfit goes from fabulous to heinous in the blink of an eye. And yet, in this fickle industry, there has been one constant: Anna Wintour. The so-called saviour of American Vogue, now in her twentieth year as editor-in chief, Wintour is in the front row of every runway show that matters.Wintour calls from Milan, undoubtedly in between shows. After her recent visit to London Fashion Week, I’m keen to discuss her impressions of this year’s collections at Britain’s only world-class fashion event. Wintour is highly complimentary; ‘I’m constantly amazed by the level of talent there,’ she says, making particular mention of younger designers Chris Kane and Jonathan Saunders. It is the lesser-known names which Wintour sees as London’s strength in comparison with its international competition. ‘I think what’s so great about London Fashion Week – it’s such an opportunity for overseas press and stores to see the new talent,’ says Wintour, ‘and I think that the British Fashion Council could even make more of an effort to make new fashion the raison d’etre.’ Wintour mentions the late Princess Diana as a figure who brought British fashion to the attention of the international press, and suggests that a similar figurehead, ‘someone from the royal family or a prominent politician’, could take more of a leadership role. One can only assume from Ms. Wintour’s track record that when it comes to such instructions, her advice should be taken as law. Her career has seen stints at Harper’s Bazaar, House and Garden, and both British and American Vogue which, in particular, greatly benefited from her Midas touch, transforming what has been described as a stagnant publication into the biggest-selling magazine of its kind. It will come as no surprise that such a feat was achieved through an almost ruthless efficiency, and Wintour seems content to acknowledge that those who may comment on her demanding nature are perfectly correct; ‘I am very demanding,’ she says, but in fashion, nice guys finish last and knowing what you want and how to get it is all part of the job description. Miranda Priestly, the unreasonably severe editor in 2006 blockbuster The Devil Wears Prada, is generally seen as a portrait of Wintour. Nevertheless, Ms. Wintour is comfortable with her reputation, reminding her critics of the dog-eat-dog nature of the fashion world; ‘I can only tell you that I’ve worked with many people for fifteen, twenty years and we’ve survived each other .’Trends on runways across the world are usually limited to the outfits themselves, and yet in recent years it has been impossible to ignore a development concerning the models themselves, the dangerous emergence of the size zero. I ask Wintour for her thoughts, and it is clear that she, perhaps more than anyone else, understands the true hazards of the choice to strive for such a goal; ‘I think it’s a real issue, it’s unfortunate that that these young women aren’t even fully grown yet.’ Wintour personally favours the models who appear ‘vibrant, alive and healthy’, mentioning supermodels Gisele Bundchen and Caroline Trentini as good examples of this healthier type. Wintour is determinedly frank about the size of models; ‘no designer is going to have a girl who’s a size 12 (a British size 16) on the runway’. So what can be done to stop such young girls following in the footsteps of Luisel Ramos, the Uruguayan model who died of self-starvation backstage at a fashion show? Wintour has been vocal in her suggestions, particularly regarding the younger models so popular with designers, and has worked with the CFDA (The Council of Fashion Designers of America) to introduce healthy food at shows and shoots, more favourable scheduling for such models, and the removal of alcohol from areas which underage participants of runway shows occupy. Whether or not such measures will be successful is yet to be seen, but Wintour is hopeful, mentioning this summer’s Olympics as potential motivation for individuals to favour the athletic body before the more emaciated alternative.
Anna Wintour frequently comes under fire for controversial personal choices concerning issues such as the inclusion of fur in American Vogue. On her visit to Oxford though, her main opposition will come from those who find the fashion industry shallow and superficial. Her response is all I have come to expect from our brief conversation; intelligent, defiant and authoritative; ‘Fashion is big business, the biggest business in New York after Wall Street. Last year the fashion industry was worth something like 784 billion dollars, it gives people jobs; it employs 125,000 people in New York alone. It’s a very important global business.’ Whether it’s a matter of being won over by Wintour’s opinions, or stunned into silence by the reputation which precedes her, I, and indeed those who surround her at Vogue, are unlikely to disagree.
Anna Wintour will be coming to the Oxford Union on Tuesday of 7th week
