Anna Wintour steps down as head of editorial content at Vogue, igniting speculation over her successor with fashion editors and nepo babies in the mix.
After nearly four decades at the helm, Anna Wintour is stepping down from one of her most iconic roles — and the fashion world is buzzing with speculation over who will take her place.
On Thursday, Wintour, 75, stunned the Vogue staff by announcing she would be appointing a new head of editorial content at American Vogue, officially stepping back from the role herself. She will still retain her positions as Condé Nast’s global chief content officer and global editorial director at Vogue, meaning the new hire will ultimately report to her.
Wintour told staff, “I find that my greatest pleasure is helping the next generation of impassioned editors storm the field with their own ideas, supported by a new, exciting view of what a major media company can be. And that is exactly the kind of person we need to now look for.”
The announcement quickly sparked a media frenzy and waves of social media reactions, with fashion lovers mourning what many called the “end of an era.” Immediately, names began circulating online in a whirlwind of predictions — some surprising, some expected.
Among the most buzzed-about is Eva Chen, 45, a fashion week staple and Met Gala regular. Formerly the youngest editor-in-chief of Lucky magazine, she now serves as Head of Fashion Partnerships at Instagram, where she commands a following of 2.5 million — though still far behind Vogue’s massive 51 million. Chen’s name has been floated for years, with one prescient tweet from 2015 by beauty writer Cat Marnell predicting, “I PREDICT ANNA WINTOUR WILL GRACEFULLY HAND VOGUE TO EVA CHEN WHEN SHE IS READY… IM TALKING IN 10 YEARS… WATCH THE THRONE.”
Another top contender is Amy Astley, 58, the founding editor of Teen Vogue, a position Wintour personally chose her for. Astley now leads Architectural Digest, another Condé Nast title, and remains closely tied to the company’s upper ranks.
Also in the spotlight is Chioma Nnadi, editor of British Vogue, who has worked closely with the U.S. edition in the past. The London-born journalist of Nigerian, Swiss, and German descent became the first woman of color to hold a senior leadership role at Vogue in 2023. Her seamless transition replacing Edward Enninful at the UK edition, along with her industry respect and internal experience, has made her a favorite among Reddit and fashion forums. As one commenter put it, “She’s got a fantastic track record, a history at Vogue US, is deeply respected in the industry, and writers and advertisers like her.”
Ironically, Enninful himself — once considered Wintour’s protégé — now seems out of the running. The 53-year-old British-Ghanaian editor, the first Black and male editor-in-chief of British Vogue, is launching his own fashion platform and has long been rumored to have a tense rivalry with Wintour.
Of course, no modern guessing game is complete without a few nepo baby mentions. Wintour’s own daughter, Bee Shaffer Carrozzini, a film producer, has been floated as a possible name in the mix. While unconfirmed, recent appointments — like Wintour’s decision to name her daughter’s close friend Mark Guiducci as the new editor of Vanity Fair — have left insiders wondering if family connections could once again influence the next big hire.
Other nepo names mentioned include Chloe Schama, daughter of British historian Sir Simon Schama, and Chloe Malle, daughter of Candice Bergen and French director Louis Malle.
For now, the guessing game continues. One thing is clear — whoever steps into the role will face immense scrutiny and high expectations. After all, following in Anna Wintour’s Manolo Blahniks is no small feat.
