Anna Wintour is honoured the Companion of Honour by King Charles III during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace for her services to fashion including her fundraising work for important causes.
A twitter post by The Royal Family
The Chief Content Officer of Condé Nast and Global Editorial Director of Vogue, Dame Anna Wintour, was honoured in the 2023 King’s Birthday Honours and joins the likes of Dame Judi Dench, Sir Elton John, David Hockney and Sir Paul McCartney in the select group. British artist Tracey Emin was also at the palace to receive her damehood. The Order of the Companions of Honour has no more than sixty-five members at a time and recognises those who have made significant contributions to the arts, science, medicine or government.
The Royal Family tweeted — “Congratulations Dame Anna Wintour! Today at Buckingham Palace, The King presented the legendary Editor-in-Chief of @VogueMagazine with the Order of the Companions of Honour for Services to Fashion. Well done to all who received their honours today.”
Wintour said after receiving her honour, “It’s wonderful to be back at Buckingham Palace, and I was completely surprised and overwhelmed to be given this great honor,” per The Independent. Anna Wintour was made a dame in 2017 by Queen Elizabeth II, who honoured her for her contribution to fashion and journalism.
The Legacy Of Anna Wintour
Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of American Vogue and the chief content officer of Condé Nast, is widely regarded as the most influential figure in fashion. Wintour has built Vogue into a powerful commercial juggernaut, boasting over 12 million readers in print. With a keen eye for talent and an innovative approach to fashion journalism, she has reshaped the fashion magazine’s identity with celebrity culture, urban design aesthetics and championing burgeoning designers. Today, US Vogue is populated by a coterie of fashion photographers, editors and designers that provide the magazine with a consistent visual aesthetic; many of whom have been supported and nurtured by Wintour.
In R.J. Cutler’s documentary The September Issue, Wintour said, “Growing up in London in the Sixties you would have to be walking round with Irving Penn’s sack on your head to not realise that something extraordinary was happening in fashion. The look of the girl then and everything that was going on then, the pill and the emancipation of women and the end of the class system, just sort of seeing that revolution go on made me love [fashion] from an early age.”
Milestones in Anna Wintour’s Professional Life At Vogue —:
- Appointed Editor-in-Chief of American Vogue in 1988, bringing a fresh, bold vision to the fashion magazine. Her leadership marked a shift in Vogue’s editorial direction, combining luxury fashion with street style.
- Revamped Vogue’s Aesthetic since the late 1980s by introducing a mix of luxury and accessible fashion in editorial spreads, revolutionising how fashion was presented. Her first Vogue cover in November 1988 featured a mix of designer and casual pieces, setting a new standard.
- Introduced the High-Low Fashion Concept, influencing how real women dressed and how brands marketed their collections.
- Under her leadership, Vogue became a global fashion authority, launching international editions and strengthening Condé Nast’s dominance in the fashion industry.
- She championed young designers such as Marc Jacobs, John Galliano, and Alexander McQueen, helping them gain international recognition. She also propelled the careers of supermodels like Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss.
- Wintour took charge of the Met Gala, turning it into the most prestigious fashion event, with exclusive guest lists and extravagant themes that set global trends.
- She oversaw the magazine’s transition into the digital era, expanding Vogue’s online presence, social media influence, and video content strategy.
- In addition to leading Vogue, Wintour was appointed Artistic Director for Condé Nast, overseeing the creative direction of multiple publications under the media giant.
- Inspired The Devil Wears Prada (2003, 2006). The book and film, based on former assistant Lauren Weisberger’s experiences, made Wintour a cultural icon. Meryl Streep’s character, Miranda Priestly, was widely believed to be modeled after her.
- Wintour was honoured with the title of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2025.
Jasmeen Dugal is Associate Editor at FashionABC, contributing her insights on fashion, technology, and sustainability. She brings with herself more than two decades of editorial experience, working for national newspapers and luxury magazines in India.
Jasmeen Dugal has worked with exchange4media as a senior writer contributing articles on the country’s advertising and marketing movements, and then with Condenast India as Net Editor where she helmed Vogue India’s official website in terms of design, layout and daily content. Besides this, she is also an entrepreneur running her own luxury portal, Explosivefashion, which highlights the latest in luxury fashion and hospitality.
