Anna The Biography

The life and career of one of the most important women in media—Anna Wintour, the iconic editor in chief of Vogue who has changed the face of fashion—are expertly explored in this definitive biography featuring exclusive interviews and untold revelations.

As a child, Anna Wintour was a tomboy with no apparent interest in fashion but, seduced by the miniskirts and bob haircuts of swinging 1960s London, she grew into a fashion-obsessed teenager. Her father, an influential newspaper editor, loomed large in her life, and once he decided she should become editor in chief of Vogue, she never looked back.

Impatient to start her career, she left high school and got a job at a trendy boutique in London—an experience which would be the first of many defeats. Undeterred, she found work within the competitive world of magazines, eventually moving to New York to leave behind an association with her well-known father. Before long, Anna’s journey to Vogue became a battle to ascend, no matter who or what stood in her way. Once she was crowned editor in chief—in one of the most vicious transitions in fashion magazine history—she continued the fight to retain her enviable position, ultimately rising to dominate all of Condé Nast itself.

Based on extensive interviews with Anna Wintour’s closest friends and collaborators, including some of the biggest names in fashion, journalist Amy Odell has crafted the most revealing portrait of Wintour ever published. Weaving Anna’s personal story within a larger narrative about the hierarchical dynamics of the fashion industry and the complex world of Condé Nast, Anna charts the relentless ambition of the woman who would become an icon.

 Amy Odell is a fashion journalist. Her work has appeared in New York magazine, The Economist’s 1843, Bloomberg Businessweek, and numerous other publications. She is the author of Anna and Tales from the Back Row. Find out more at AmyOdell.com.