Anna Wintour has been at the helm of
Vogue for over thirty years and in that time she has rarely apologized for anything (her Masterclass even purports to teach wannabe fashionistas “how to lead with vision and creativity — and without apology”). But Wintour is apologizing now. The fearsome fashion world editor has reached out to her
Vogue staff in an effort to recognize the ways in which she has failed the Black writers, stylists, photographers, and designers she works with.The memo, which was sent out last Thursday, speaks directly to the magazine’s Black employees and addresses the acute emotional distress they’ve likely experienced following the violent deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many other Black people due to systemic racism and white supremacy.[video_embed id='1947255']RELATED: Andre Leon Talley says Anna Wintour isn't capable of kindness[/video_embed]“I want to start by acknowledging your feelings and expressing my empathy towards what so many of you are going through: sadness, hurt, and anger too,” wrote Wintour (via
Page Six). “I want to say this especially to the Black members of our team — I can only imagine what these days have been like. But I also know that the hurt, and violence, and injustice we’re seeing and talking about have been around for a long time. Recognizing it and doing something about it is overdue.”Wintour also took responsibility for the mistakes, oversights, and offences that the publication has committed during her tenure as editor. “I want to say plainly that I know
Vogue has not found enough ways to elevate and give space to Black editors, writers, photographers, designers and other creators. We have made mistakes too, publishing images or stories that have been hurtful or intolerant. I take full responsibility for those mistakes,” she wrote.“It can’t be easy to be a Black employee at
Vogue, and there are too few of you. I know that it is not enough to say we will do better, but we will — and please know that I value your voices and responses as we move forward.”The apology comes months after veteran
Vogue staffer André Leon Talley made his own accusations about Wintour’s intolerance and extreme insensitivity. “My hope is that she will find a way to apologize before I die, or if I linger on incapacitated before I pass, she will show up at my bedside, with an extended hand clasped into mine and say: ‘I love you. You have no idea how much you have meant to me’,”
wrote Talley in his fashion world tell-all,
The Chiffon Trenches. His claim that his working relationship with Anna left him with “huge emotional and psychological scars” presented Wintour an opportunity to apologize way back in April.Wintour’s note becomes public in the wake of resignations by and firings of
several other big-name editors in the publishing world at outlets like
Refinery29,
Bon Appetit,
Variety, and the
New York Times. Each of those exits was linked to an incident of racial insensitivity or mistreatment. It seems as though Wintour wants to make it clear that both she and
Vogue are trying to be proactive (or stay steps ahead of any possible accusations).“This is a historic and heartbreaking moment for our country,” she wrote, “and it should be a time of listening, reflection, and humility for those of us in positions of privilege and authority. It should also be a time of action and commitments. On a corporate level, work is being done to support organizations in a real way. These actions will be announced as soon as possible.”[video_embed id='1939862']BEFORE YOU GO: Anna Wintour confirms she wears sweatpants in isolation[/video_embed]
