Anna Wintour Steps Down After 37 Years—The Visionary Who Shaped the It-Bag Era and Redefined Luxury Fashion

At Luxury Helsinki, we love everything fashion and luxury, and there is no denying the influential power of Vogue’s editorial leadership in these worlds. Let’s take a closer look at one of the most iconic figures in fashion publishing: Anna Wintour. 

Anna Wintour, an icon of the global fashion industry, is stepping down as editor-in-chief of American Vogue after an impressive 37-year tenure as of 2025. In 2020, she was appointed Chief Content Officer of Condé Nast, a role she continues to hold. Her reign at Vogue significantly shaped the culture of the ‘it bag’ and established a lifestyle marketing narrative that remains central to luxury fashion marketing today. Beyond her conceptual impact, Wintour created a unique position of influence, giving her the power to shape the future of luxury accessories. 

Photo credit: Vogue

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Vogue’s editorial content helped cultivate the culture of the ‘it bag’ as a coveted status symbol. Wintour harnessed lifestyle marketing to build momentum around bags that have since become iconic, such as the Dior Saddlebag and the Fendi Baguette — the latter gaining initial traction through Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw. Through these editorials, Wintour’s vision and taste dictated some of the most recognizable luxury handbags of today, cementing her voice as a market-shaping force. 

Photo: HBO

Wintour’s influence went beyond defining existing bags as status symbols; she championed new, innovative design. In response to the economic challenges following 9/11, she established the CFDA Fashion Fund to support emerging designers and ensure her ongoing influence on fashion. The Fund allowed her to select and elevate the next generation of designers. Proenza Schouler was the first recipient, and their debut bag, the “PS1,” quickly achieved coveted ‘it-bag’ status. More recently, the Telfar Bag, designed by CFDA Fashion Fund recipient Telfar Clemens, has gained significant popularity. While Wintour was never a designer herself, she was undeniably a tastemaker and a driving force in the luxury bag market, crafting visually compelling editorials that transformed handbags into powerful status symbols.

Who do you think holds the title of the most influential name in fashion today, and what might be the next 'it bag'? As lovers of timeless classics—many of which we currently have in stock across a variety of styles—our opinion on the best bags might be a bit biased. But who knows? Perhaps the next 'it bag' is destined to become a future classic. Browse our collection of it bags here.

With love,
Luxury Helsinki