British Vogue: The Biography of an Icon

It seems rather apt that, while I listened to author Julie Summers speak about her latest book, British Vogue: The Biography of an Icon, at the Last Thursday Lunch Club, the press announced the stepping back of Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of American Vogue. This marks a momentous milestone in Vogue’s history, with Wintour having led American Vogue for 37 years—making her the longest-serving Vogue editor in the magazine’s 133-year history.

However, Wintour isn’t quite ready to hang up her heels just yet. Note the term “stepping back” rather than “stepping down,” as she will continue in the role of Vogue‘s Global Editorial Director.

The announcement on 26th June triggered a wide range of reactions across social media, from: “That’s an impressive legacy—37 years shaping the fashion world is no small feat,” to “Well overdue—time for new talent to take over!”

During her highly informative talk, Summers touched on every British Vogue editor, including Wintour, who held the position from 1985 to 1987. She cited Alexandra Shulman as her personal favourite. “She’s the one I admire most,” said Summers. “She came under a lot of flak initially because, like Beatrix Miller and Audrey Withers, she’d been a journalist. But Liz Tilberis and Anna Wintour, sandwiched between the two, were both fashion people. What Alex did was recreate the kind of magazine that Audrey and Beatrix had made—a Vogue that addressed all the issues. So yes, there was great colour photography, but she also wanted to feature women she admired.”

(Inside cover featuring British Vogue covers)

In 2016, British Vogue was celebrated with an extensive exhibition A Century of Style at the National Portrait Gallery, London. What became clear was that this publication was more than a high-society glossy—it was a true zeitgeist, full of social commentary and cultural references.

British Vogue: The Biography of an Icon took Summers three and a half years to research. She meticulously went through the entire Vogue archive, reading every single issue of the magazine. She was at Vogue House—home of British Vogue—when it was dismantled after six decades. As the magazine relocated to a new address on the Embankment, the timing of the biography was pertinent. The archive was packed away and broken up—a symbolic moment for Vogue, as the media landscape shifts towards the immediacy of digital.

When asked where she sees Vogue heading in the future, Summers said she still believes print will have its place: “It has a massive online presence, so I think the tendency will be to go digital. I don’t think print will go entirely—they’ll probably take it down to quarterly, like with Interiors, House & Garden, is my hunch.”

As Vogue enters a new era, Summers thoroughly researched biography makes for an insightful and nostalgic read that will captivate audiences beyond fashion – plus the accompanying images are rather beautiful too!

With thanks to Harry Bucknall’s Last Thursday Lunch Club and to Julie Summers

British Vogue: The Biography of an Icon published by www.weidenfeldandnicolson.co.uk is available in leading bookstores now.

JoJo Iles