Anna Wintour is the perfect subject of a biography, in that she exemplifies the idea that humans are complex beings, who can contain seemingly contrary traits. We are not singular in dimension, but possess opposing qualities simultaneously. We grow and change, and also remain, at core, the same. Odell does a good job at drawing out Wintour’s antithetical qualities. It gives this biography credibility, in addition to the fact that Anna permitted her many friends and associates to speak to Odell frankly.

While Anna came from a fairly privileged background, with her father Charles Wintour working as editor-in-chief of London’s Evening Standard, she was largely self-propelled into a career in fashion. After a few retail jobs, she lucked into magazine work in London through a boyfriend. While romantic partners would prove helpful early in her career. Anna created most of her own breaks through sheer determination and hard work. It is clear that once fashion magazine work became her calling, she was determined to ascend to what she viewed as the top job, editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine. Her work ethic is legendary, and is the primary driver behind her reputation as a demanding and tough boss. Odell finds plenty of evidence to support that view, but also reports longstanding employees’ comments on her drive for perfection, requiring top performance and long hours of both herself and others. Some time is spent discussing The Devil Wears Prada, a novel written by Lauren Weisberger, a former assistant of Anna’s. The book was made into a popular movie starring Meryl Streep. The author claims that while Anna influenced the main character, she also drew on stories shared by her friends and their experiences.

Getting the behind-the-scenes view of the world of design is fascinating, from the struggles of designers to create cutting edge styles that will appeal, amaze, and seduce the public and the media; the fashion shows in New York City, Paris, and Milan; to the fashion shoots of the magazines, and how editors’ vision and opinions can make or break designers’ careers. Learning how Wintour created the look and perspective of Vogue, and how that evolved from what fashion magazines previously featured, is an interesting story. The movement toward high fashion as accessible to all women, assisting professional women spending their own money; moving shoots outside the studio to natural and urban areas; depicting models in motion, not only artificially posed in studio shots; and using celebrities as cover models, not only supermodels. Wintour worked to be at the forefront to address issues such as the health of models, combatting eating disorders; their safety during the #MeToo movement, not permitting the use of models under the age of eighteen; and the appropriate representation of people of color among models, photographers, designers, and other positions in the fashion industry. Wintour increased her magazine’s political clout by putting candidates, First Ladies, and politicians on the cover or in the pages of Vogue.

Wintour’s ambition was not only to influence the fashion industry with Vogue; her involvement with the MET Gala made that event perhaps the most coveted red carpet event of the year, earning primary funding for the MET’s Costume Institute, the main showcase of fashion history worldwide. The MET named their renovated space the Anna Wintour Costume Center. Wintour’s influence and contributions have been recognized with numerous honors, most notably one of England’s highest honor, naming her Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and France’s Legion d’Honneur. Her fund raising efforts on behalf of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama almost landed her the position of ambassador to the UK.

If this sort of subject matter appeals to you, this is a must-read. Book discussion groups will also find much here to chat about. Highly recommended.