Three former assistants to Anna Wintour have anonymously shared their experiences working for the Vogue editor, painting a picture of a highly ritualized and intense job that mirrors the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada. They detail constant day-and-night requests, an unspoken rule against asking for clarification, and specific morning routines involving coffee and a tote bag. The accounts, reported by biographer Amy Odell, align with anecdotes from her 2022 biography, underscoring the editor's dominant presence and the challenging dynamics of her office.
Three former Vogue employees have anonymously described their experiences as assistants to Anna Wintour , the 76-year-old Global Editorial Director of Vogue . Their accounts, shared with journalist and biographer Amy Odell , reveal a work environment that closely mirrors the portrayal in the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada .
The movie, based on a novel by former assistant Lauren Weisberger, is widely believed to have been inspired by Wintour, with Meryl Streep's character Miranda Priestly seen as a fictionalized version of the iconic editor. The ex-assistants detailed the highly ritualized and demanding nature of the job.
They received a constant stream of emails from Wintour day and night, with requests ranging from mundane tasks like "Coffee please" to urgent errands such as finding old newspaper articles or fetching a book from the Vogue offices to be sent to London immediately. Some interpreted these demands as a form of hazing for new assistants, while others believed they simply reflected Anna's dominant needs that overtook their personal lives.
A key unspoken rule was that assistants could not ask for clarification or help, even when deciphering her illegible handwriting. This mirrors a scene in the film where Miranda Priestly berates her assistant for not anticipating needs. According to Odell's 2022 biography Anna: The Biography, Wintour typically employed two or three assistants, each with specialized roles reminiscent of the movie.
The first assistant managed her schedule, the second handled liaising with staff at her homes, coordinating entertainment, and caring for her dogs, while the third ran errands and shared weekend on-call duties. New second assistants received a 21-page manual covering everything from expense management to home maintenance. Their mornings began between 7:00 and 7:30 a.m., with the second assistant tasked with delivering a whole-milk Starbucks latte and blueberry muffin to Wintour before accompanying her. Tardiness with coffee made her "testy.
" The assistant also carried a monogrammed LL Bean tote containing work materials. Wintour's arrival at the office triggered a scramble, as employees rushed to ensure perfection, much like the "She's coming!
" scene in The Devil Wears Prada. Assistants would immediately open a blank document to transcribe her spoken instructions, often issued without punctuation or pauses, making note-taking urgent. To avoid being caught unprepared, they tried to avoid sharing elevators with her. The hardest part of the job, they agreed, was handling vague requests with minimal context.
Some noted that Wintour occasionally addressed the second assistant by the first assistant's name, a behavior portrayed by Priestly in the film. While some saw this as a forgivable eccentricity, others viewed it as a demeaning aspect of the role. The assistants who endured accepted these dynamics as part of the job. Despite the intensity, the positions were highly coveted, offering unparalleled access to the fashion industry.
The accounts underscore the hierarchical and pressurized atmosphere at Vogue, where the editor's needs reigned supreme. They also highlight how the real-life experiences of Weisberger and others were distilled into the novel and subsequent film, creating a cultural touchstone that continues to shape public perception of fashion editorial work. The stories provide a rare glimpse behind the velvet rope of one of fashion's most powerful figures, illustrating the personal sacrifices demanded by such a role.
The Daily Mail reportedly reached out to Condé Nast, Vogue's parent company, for comment, though no response is detailed in the source material. These revelations reaffirm the legendary status of Wintour's demanding persona, blurring the lines between myth and reality in fashion lore. They also serve as a testament to the resilience required to thrive in such an environment, where every detail matters and anticipation is essential
Anna Wintour Vogue The Devil Wears Prada Assistant Fashion Condé Nast Amy Odell Miranda Priestly Lauren Weisberger
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