Anna Wintour   Anna’s early career at New York Magazine cemented her belief that great editors must stay immersed in real life. “Working at New York Magazine was thrilling,” she says. “I was surrounded by people who had absolutely no interest in fashion—and that was wonderful. They made me think about art, film, theater, politics. It made me realise that fashion only matters when it’s connected to the world.” That ethos has guided her leadership at Vogue for nearly four decades. Even now, she told the audience, she makes time every morning to read multiple newspapers, walk through Washington Square Park, and call colleagues across time zones before sunrise. “It’s really important to expose yourself to life,” she says. “Walk in the street and take in what you see. It will always give you an idea.” The power of instinct over analytics Despite leading one of the world’s most data-literate publishing houses, Anna says she’s never been ruled by metrics. “ I am not someone who follows data and analytics religiously,” she says with a grin. “I always make my choices with instinct.” Her most iconic decisions—like Vogue’s 1988 debut cover featuring a couture jacket paired with $50 Guess jeans—were the result of gut feeling, not focus groups. “Everyone was expecting something different,” she remembered. “This image related to the women I saw in the street. I didn’t want Vogue to be removed or distant.” The printer even called to ask if the photo had been sent by mistake. That cover went on to redefine modern fashion photography. Yael Taqqu (left) and Anna Wintour Anna Wintour on stage interview at McKinsey’s inaugural “Brilliant Moves” Speaker Series She recalled a 1989 conversation with a conservative businessman on a plane who said he could never imagine such a thing. “So, I went straight back to the office and said, ‘We’re […]