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On Friday, Christiane Amanpour’s show on PBS touted a new exhibition by Vogue magazine on the history of the runway show in London, “taking visitors for a catwalk down memory lane.” Then they replayed a 2019 interview with Vogue editor Anna Wintour gushing over wonderful Democrats like Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama on the cover.
This felt a little like another diss at Melania Trump, who did not appear on the cover. Back then Melania put out a statement through her press secretary Stephanie Grisham: “This just further demonstrates how biased the fashion magazine industry is, and shows how insecure and small-minded Anna Wintour really is.”
Amanpour’s show wasn’t replaying that opinion. They did refer multiple times to Vogue as a “fashion bible,” including on the question of First Ladies on the cover:
Just weeks before Melania Trump becomes First Lady again, Christiane Amanpour’s show on PBS (and CNN International) rehashes “amazing” VOGUE cover stories on “very brave” Hillary Clinton and that “role model” Michelle Obama with magazine editor Anna Wintour (D-Snobtopia). pic.twitter.com/AMDmuae6I9
— Tim Graham (@TimJGraham) December 9, 2024
AMANPOUR: Your magazine, the most important fashion bible in the world, does profile some very, very important women who are in politics. Tell me about that. I mean, you’re overtly political in your profiles and in what you stand for.
WINTOUR: I think one has to be fair. One has to look at all sides. But I don’t think it’s a moment not to take a stand. I think you can’t be everything to everybody. We profile women in the magazine that we believe in the stand that they’re taking on issues. We support them in the fact that we feel that they are leaders. That particularly after the defeat of Secretary Clinton in 2016 that we believe that women should have a leadership position, and that we intend to support them.
AMANPOUR: I was really interested to hear that — I believe Secretary Clinton, when she was first lady, was the first lady to be on the cover of Vogue?
WINTOUR: She was….I think it was a time when I felt that the first lady at that time had behaved in a very brave way.
AMANPOUR: Was this in surviving the slings and arrows of her husband’s accusations and the impeachment —
WINTOUR: Slings and arrows of misfortune, yes. So, I — we felt it was the time to, you know, to support her and to stand up for women [?] and it was — we were very honored that she agreed to be our cover at that time. And we were also very honored obviously. I think Mrs. Obama was on the cover three times while she was in the White House.
Polishing Mrs. Obama’s apple is mandatory:
AMANPOUR: What does she mean to you? I mean, she’s not just an amazing role model.
WINTOUR: I think Mrs. Obama redefined the role of the first lady. I mean she was so open to everybody. She made the White House a place for everyone. I mean, and she was just so, I think, inspiring to so many women and obviously on a very selfish note speaking as the editor-in-chief of Vogue, she did wonders for fashion. She loved fashion. And —
AMANPOUR: And high and low, right?
WINTOUR: — she mixed high and low. She supported designers that one has never heard of. And, you know, we have always had the tradition at Vogue to photograph first ladies when they first came in to office and some extraordinary wonderful women. And it was an honor to photograph them, but they were always super cautious about what they wanted to wear and the image that they wanted to present, nearly always a jacket, you know, maybe some pearls if you are Mrs. Bush. But, with Mrs. Obama, you know, she was fearless. And it was such a joy for all of us that work in fashion.
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