Fashion magazines are not just a form of entertainment: over time they have become true “cult” objects, capable of reflecting eras, icons, and social and cultural transformations.
Among the figures who have shaped this editorial world stands Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue USA since 1988. Her rigor, ability to innovate, and strategic vision have redefined the role of the magazine over the decades.
The library holds a copy available for loan of Anna : the biography by Amy Odell, dedicated to her professional and personal story.
This spring, the display case in the Fashion Reading Room at IED Milano celebrates her legacy, also marking the release of The Devil wears Prada 2.
On display is a selection of iconic covers and historic issues of Vogue USA that have left a lasting imprint on the collective imagination:
- September 2012
The celebrated record-breaking issue with 916 pages, 618 of which are advertising, weighing over two kilograms. It is also featured in the documentary The September Issue, available in the library;
- May 2023
A tribute to Karl Lagerfeld: ten designers reinterpret his figure through original creations;
- May 2026
For the first time, Wintour appears on the cover alongside Meryl Streep (the issue is forthcoming and will be available in the library for consultation);
- A copy of the very first, extremely rare illustrated cover from 1892, bearing witness to the origins of Vogue, available for digital consultation on ProQuest.
ProQuest also provides access to:
November 1988
The first cover under Anna Wintour’s direction: model Michaela Bercu, photographed by Peter Lindbergh, wears “worn jeans”, marking a clear break with the magazine’s traditional aesthetic;
September 1989
Naomi Campbell on the cover: a choice that helped establish her among the first African-American models to feature prominently in the “Big Four” editions of Vogue.
In her autobiographical volume published by Taschen (2016), on p. 109 the same model writes: “In September 1989, Anna Wintour put me on the cover of American Vogue. I will be forever grateful because that was her first September issue as editor-in-chief. I think she got a lot of flack for it”.
The exhibition concludes with the photographic book Naomi Campbell by Peter Lindbergh, published in 2000 together with the November issue of Vogue Italia. This precious volume, from the Sozzani Collection, contains a special handwritten dedication from Lindbergh to Franca Sozzani. Anna Wintour was also connected to Sozzani through their children’s marriage.
The library also features novels, including The Devil wears Prada and La vendetta veste Prada. Il ritorno del diavolo by Lauren Weisberger.
Come to the library and discover it all in person!