Anna Wintour was beaming as she arrived in SW19 for an action-packed day at Wimbledon ahead of the men’s semi-finals on Centre Court today.
The Vogue icon, 75, donned her signature sunglasses along with a white, pleated maxi dress and was seen posing for photographs with Tom Ford ahead of the start of play this afternoon.
Anna and Tom, 63, led the celebrity arrivals on day 12 of the prestigious tennis tournament, with A-listers such as Rami Malek and Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar also in attendance.
While she kept her sunglasses firmly planted on her face, Anna – who is typically serious – appeared relaxed and happy as the journalist smiled at well-wishers amid rumours Amazon boss Jeff Bezos is preparing to buy Vogue for his new wife, Lauren Sanchez.
She accessorised her floral-patterned dress with a pair of open-toe sandals and a matching white clutch, as well as a show-stopping necklace fashioned from precious gems like emeralds, rubies, and sapphires.
Dame Anna wore a light layer of foundation and added a touch of pink blusher, with Anna keeping her makeup to a minimum on a day when temperatures in London are expected to touch 30C
Legendary American menswear designer Tom Ford was dapper in a well-fitting, classic suit worn over a crisp white shirt and black tie.
Anna’s most recent appearance comes after she announced she is stepping down from one of her roles at Vogue after 37 years – sending waves through the industry.
Anna’s decision to step back from one of her many roles at Vogue was followed by rumours the fashion ‘bible’ could soon be bought over by Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos.
Staff are convinced the world’s fourth-richest man is preparing to buy its parent company Conde Nast as a wedding gift for his bride Lauren Sanchez, a former journalist.
One of the reasons the rumour mill is churning is because Lauren – who married the 61-year-old mogul in a lavish Venetian wedding that cost upwards of $11 million – was this month’s ‘unlikely’ digital cover star.
While Anna did not attend the Venetian nuptials – reportedly due to clashing travel plans – she hand-picked Lauren’s Dolce & Gabbana wedding gown that she can be seen wearing in the cover shot.
The Newhouse family, who have owned Conde Nast since 1959 and continue to hold it privately under their media empire Advance Publications, denied their titles are for sale in a statement to The Mail on Sunday.
A source close to Bezos said it was ‘totally untrue’ that he was considering buying Conde Nast.
But with a recent swathe of global redundancies and UK staff now operating from an uninspiring WeWork space near Waterloo station – after Vogue’s Hanover Square HQ was sold – not everyone is convinced.
A source told The Mail on Sunday: ‘The rumour that Jeff is going to buy Conde Nast is all anyone’s talking about in the fashion industry and inside Vogue.
‘Lauren Sanchez is such an unlikely cover star, and the word is that she landed the July issue partly because the Newhouse family want to butter up Bezos. In New York they’re slimming down the business which is exactly what companies do before a sale.’
The source added: ‘Anna is said to be the one brokering the deal so that’s why Lauren was put on the cover. Anna has equity in the business so has a lot to gain from a sale.’
Last month, Anna told magazine staffers that she will be hiring a new head of editorial content at American Vogue, according to WWD.
She will, however, will continue to hold her position as Condé Nast’s global chief content officer and global editorial director at Vogue, and the new head of editorial content will report to her.
As chief content officer, Anna oversees every brand globally, including Wired, Vanity Fair, GQ, AD, Condé Nast Traveler, Glamour, Bon Appetit, Tatler, World of Interiors and Allure – among others.
Anna first became editor in chief of Vogue in 1988 and is credited with completely transforming the famed fashion magazine.
She is also behind making the Met Gala what it is today – a red carpet event attended by the fashion elite, as she handpicks the celebrities and makes sure to greet them personally.
Chief executive of Conde Nast, Roger Lynch, told Wall Street Journal that it made sense for Anna to step back from American Vogue so that she can focus on her other roles at the company, pointing out that she’s been doing three jobs since 2020.
‘This will enable her to make time for everyone who needs her,’ he said.
Her shock decision has left the fashion world reeling, as there’s not a clear replacement who can step into her designer shoes – and she has left quite big shoes to fill.
Fashion fans have taken to X (previously Twitter) to voice their shock, calling it the ‘end of an era’ and saying it’s something they never thought they’d see, as she was tied so directly to the brand for so many years.
Anna’s first job was on the now defunct Harpers & Queen. Before she took over at Vogue as the EIC she was its creative director in 1983.
She then went back home to British Vogue, where she served as EIC from 1985 to 1987, before rejoining American Vogue.
Her famed covers included appearances from A-listers like Oprah Winfrey, Madonna, Ivana Trump, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, and more.
However, Anna’s time at Conde Nast has not been without controversy.
Most recently, she left Vanity Fair staff ‘blindsided’ over her surprising decision to appoint her daughter’s friend to run the magazine.
She picked her daughter Bee Shaffer’s close pal Mark Guiducci, 36, to run Vanity Fair following a high-profile search for the publication’s next leader.
An insider alleged to the Daily Mail afterwards that the decision sparked immense outrage in the company, claiming that many Vanity Fair staffers feel like Guiducci is ‘not qualified’ for the job.
Anna was also advised to step down from the Met Gala by a leading PR expert after this year’s event was blasted as ‘forgettable’ and declared ‘dead’ by spectators.
Earlier this month, the famed publication was bombarded with messages from angry followers after its publishers boldly decided to post Blake Lively at the front of a carousel of photos in an Instagram upload amid her ongoing legal battle with Justin Baldoni.
Despite the controversies, the highly ambitious editor’s time at Vogue has been largely praised, as she was able to bring the magazine into the digital age while keeping the focus on fashion.
Anna has long been a figure of fascination in the New York City media scene and is thought to be who the main character Miranda Priestly is based on.
She has surrounded herself with celebrity friends like Rihanna, and often picked designer favorites, including Harvey Weinstein’s ex-wife Georgina Chapman’s brand Marchesa and the Proenza Schouler designers.
