Did anyone catch 60 Minutes on Sunday night? Segment 3 was an interview with the redoubtable Anna Wintour. For those not in the know, AW is the elfin fashionista extraordinnaire who has ruled the fashion world for the last two decades atop the throne of the “House of Vogue“.
She is also the supposed template for horribly pretentious Miranda Priestley character in “The Devil Wears Prada” (a view Meryl Streep incidentally denies – she claims she based Priestley more on the soft spoken “Dirty Harry” character – and on re-examination of the film, its a fairly accurate claim).
Wintour spoke and purred in diminutive tones, as if the very slightness of her demeanour is enough to cower each lowly Dior wannabe into total and utter submission. She put paid to those gorgeous rumours that one was not to even look at her direction in the elevator, much less open one’s mouth.
She explained the wide glasses, a sort of Holly Gollightly on acid look, were essentially a shield to prevent prying eyes from seeing an upturned eyelid of disapproval at the numerous fashion shows she attends each year. In some $200, 000 for ‘clothing allowance’ on top of her editor-in-chief salary paid by Vogue (and Vanity Fair) Conde Nast.
All told, it was a fascinating, surreal entertainment, seeing the ‘real world’ person bought to life – and explaining quite well and effectively I thought – that most of the things written about her are actually really true.
Lines blurred yet again.