While I may not work in fashion or have experience running a glossy magazine, I’ve admittedly spent years admiring Anna Wintour’s ability to not only shape a brand but also push culture forward. She is, in my opinion, an expert marketer in her own right.
Now that she’s stepping down as editor in chief of Vogue, I’ve been thinking about what’s made her so effective-let alone a genuine one-of-a-kind-for so long. Consider that Vogue has stayed relevant across decades of massive change. It wasn’t due to luck. It was leadership.
Her approach offers a blueprint any brand, fashion or not, can learn from-especially now, when culture moves faster than ever and brand trust is harder to earn.
Don’t chase culture. Pay attention and actively participate
Throughout her career, Wintour always had her finger on what was next; she helped define what “fashion-forward” even meant. And she never waited for culture to arrive neatly packaged. She stayed close to it. She stayed curious.
As marketers, it’s easy to lose sight of the everyday cultural shifts while we focus on business goals or quarterly planning. But keeping track of how people are talking, what they care about, and where attention is moving is essential.
You don’t have to constantly step outside your lane, finding any hot new thing to jump on. But if you’re not listening to the conversations happening outside your brand or your own social channels, you’re probably already behind.
Consistency gives you credibility. Identity makes you memorable
Everyone knows what Anna Wintour stands for. And because her taste and values came through in every issue of Vogue, people trusted it, even when they disagreed with it.
When I talk about this kind of consistency, I don’t mean being repetitive. In marketing, we sometimes scramble to reinvent or “stay fresh,” but standing for something clearly, over time, is what builds equity. Consistency is what makes people remember you. That credibility, combined with her iconic signature look, became the ultimate stamp of approval in the fashion world.
Make space for what’s emerging, and bet on it
One of Wintour’s greatest strengths was recognizing talent early. She championed designers when they were still unknowns. She created opportunities, gave visibility, and supported creative voices before the rest of the world caught on.
She has a long view that goes beyond trend-chasing. If you’re a brand, this can mean investing in new creators or perspectives. If you’re in leadership, it might mean mentoring someone who’s rough around the edges but sees the world differently.
Staying relevant means keeping space open for what’s new, even when it feels unproven.
Take the work seriously
Big platforms come with expectations. Wintour has rarely spoken out publicly about cultural or political issues-she’s long preferred to let her work speak for itself. But when she has taken a stand, it was intentional: From supporting marriage equality to promoting sustainability, she chose moments that aligned with both her values and the brand’s.
She also took her role, and the work, seriously. Wintour is a master class in what it takes to persevere in high-pressure, high-stakes environments. She stayed grounded in strong creative instincts. That kind of leadership requires clarity and commitment.
There’s an important takeaway. When your message reaches a wide audience, you have to think beyond impact metrics. What are you normalizing? Who are you elevating? Are you making the space safer or just adding to the noise?
Use your platform to offer something meaningful, especially now
The world’s heavy right now. Between political tensions, economic stress, and social division, people are overwhelmed. So what does it mean to “show up” as a brand or leader in that context?
Wintour gave people something to aspire to, setting a standard of excellence and creativity. That matters. If you have an audience, you also have an opportunity to inspire through the quality of your work, to raise the bar, and to offer something genuinely valuable. It doesn’t have to be dramatic, but it should be intentional.
Anna Wintour hasn’t been flawless, and she hasn’t always been universally liked. But during her tenure as editor in chief, she was clear. She stayed curious. She invested in people and the community around her. And she believed in the power of creativity to earn a place in peoples lives.
