Curating a Legacy Brand

Anna Wintour, the global editorial director at Vogue, oversees her empire from a Xavier Pauchard 1934 bistro chair, a product of Tolix in Burgundy, France. Vogue boasts 22.5 million monthly readers, 86.2 million unique digital users, and 167.5 million social media followers. Wintour has served as editor-in-chief since July 1988 and was appointed U.S. artistic director of Condé Nast in March 2013. More recently, in August 2019, she was named global content advisor for Condé Nast.

The metal bistro chairs seem out of place in Anna Wintour’s elegant office on the 26th floor of One World Trade Center in New York City, but I wonder if they’re a metaphor for the brand discipline she places at the center of Vogue’s fashion reporting. ‘Your brand has to be at the core of all your creative decisions,’ Wintour says. ‘What is it? What does it stand for? How do you move it forward?’ Since taking the helm at Vogue, Wintour has transformed Vogue into a legacy brand.

A brand is not just a product, logo, or identity; it’s the intangible sum of attributes that imbue a product, service, experience, or organization with meaning for customers. I eagerly anticipate Vogue’s arrival in my mailbox and spend hours leafing through each sumptuous issue. My connection with Vogue stems from Wintour’s ability to curate a brand that embodies truth, empathy, and action, thereby creating a legacy brand. ¹

Vogue’s brand truth lies in its role as a cultural barometer that not only sets fashion trends but also places them within the context of the critical issues of our time.

The foundation of Vogue’s leadership and authority is the brand’s unique role as a cultural barometer for a global audience. Vogue places fashion in the context of culture and the world we live in—how we dress, live and socialize; what we eat, listen to and watch; who leads and inspires us. Vogue immerses itself in fashion, always leading readers to what will happen next. Thought-provoking, relevant and always influential, Vogue defines the culture of fashion.

vogue brand mission, u.s. media kit

Vogue’s fashion editors participate in all the top fashion shows worldwide and bring that knowledge back to New York, contributing to the creative leadership driven by its brand mission. Each issue sparkles with creativity and craftsmanship, delighting and surprising readers with aesthetics shaped by photographers like Tyler Mitchell and Annie Leibovitz.

Vogue’s brand empathy is evident in its production of the Met Gala, which raises funds for The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and in the creation of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, which helps talented young designers succeed in the industry. Vogue uses its voice to stand up for its beliefs and to create positive change in the world. Each of these touchpoints addresses the unique needs of Vogue’s customers.

Brand truth and empathy at Vogue lead to brand action. Anna Wintour has raised $200 million for The Metropolitan Museum of Art by steering the Met Gala. The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund empowers ten young designers each year and mentors them into the fashion industry. During the 2016 election, Vogue endorsed Hillary Clinton for president and, after the election, instilled a sense of hope in readers. The January 2017 issue of Vogue featured activists working for gun control, the environment, women’s rights, and the Black Lives Matter movement. Vogue is never afraid to be real, stand for something, or take action.

Anna Wintour’s ability to curate brand truth, empathy, and action has transformed Vogue into a legacy brand. A one-page ad in Vogue costs $206,957. Much like the bistro chairs in the center of her elegant office, she places brand discipline at the heart of all creative decisions at Vogue. Anna Wintour’s master class, accessible to everyone, offers a window into how she scales the creative process at Vogue to define the culture of fashion.

You can purchase Wintour’s bistro chair for your office from Tolix in France.

¹ The concept of Brand ‘TEA’ — how brand truth, empathy, and action produce legacy brands — comes from Arnt Erikson. It is a principle for how brand strategy and innovation can separate the great from the forgotten. Arnt Eriksen is the author of “Brand You Economics.”