After 37 years in her role as editor-in-chief of American Vogue, Anna Wintour stepped down, replaced by Chloe Malle. The role was subsequently renamed to “Head of Editorial Content” after Wintour’s departure. 

Wintour’s list of titles within Vogue has been growing rapidly over the past few years as she became the chief content creator for Vogue’s parent company, Condé Nast and the global editorial director of Vogue. This means that Malle will still report directly to Wintour. 

“Anybody in a creative field knows how essential it is never to stop growing in one’s work,” Wintour said. Removing herself from the editor-in-chief role will give her more time to focus on more of the companies that Condé Nast serves, according to Vogue’s official statement. 

Amy Odell, author of “Anna: The Biography,” said Wintour “bridged fashion and entertainment as editor-in-chief of Vogue.” In May 1989, Wintour made a bold move for Vogue by featuring Madonna on the cover. Showcasing a pop star was an effort to keep the magazine current and accessible. 

Since then, she’s had politicians, writers, gymnasts and even royalty pose for the cover. At times, her choices received criticism, but she never backed down from a debate. 

While she has experience at Vogue, having climbed the ranks ever since she first started as Vogue’s social editor in 2011, the announcement of Malle’s new role was seen as ironic. Malle has said in an interview that she’s aware of the privilege she has had throughout her life as a “proud nepo baby.” 

In an interview with The New York Times, she said, “It has always made me work much harder. It has been a goal for a lot of my life to prove that I’m more than Candice Bergen’s daughter, or someone who grew up in Beverly Hills.” 

The irony of her new role comes from her mother’s character in “Sex and the City,” Enid Frick, the fictional Vogue editor-in-chief meant to mirror Wintour. 

As for some of the changes Vogue will see in its future with Malle, she plans on making print releases less frequent to add more value to each. She believes the printed version “should be viewed more as collectible editions, printed on thick, high-quality paper.”

Malle was expected to make a large debut at the New York Fashion Week kickoff but was surprisingly in the background as Wintour continued to take the spotlight and was met with cheers at every show. 

Malle’s fashion choices throughout the week received divided criticism from the fashion world because, as it turns out, this devil does not wear Prada like her predecessor. 

NYFW officially opened with Michael Kors showcasing his spring 2026 collection on Sept. 11, inspired by his recent travels to more tropical destinations. His show, along with many others, was live-streamed to the public at Rockefeller Center as a way to bring it “back to the public” with screenings at the Rink and Channel Gardens. 

Kors said backstage after the show, “I love seeing the mix of designers who have been in business for a long time, people who are just starting, people who design accessories versus men’s wear versus women’s wear. I’m seeing everyone come together. I think it’s so exciting.” On the livestream, Kors expressed his excitement for his collection to be so widely viewable to New Yorkers. 

He said, “I dress real people. My designs are all about coming to life on the street. So what could be better to be able to experience the show live on the street?” 

For the second year at NYFW, it wasn’t just fashion up for display to the public, but also rescue dogs from Animal Haven. As a crossover runway show, designers not only showed off their upcoming collections but dogs in need of homes at the “Best in Show” event. 

Multiple runway debuts were made from Love Island stars to the New York Liberty’s mascot, Ellie the Elephant. Among the debuts was Vivian Wilson, walking for both Dauphinette and Alexis Bittar. 

Olivia Cheng, founder of Dauphinette, designed her new collection modeled after “Human Behavior” meant to reflect “animal instincts and a decaying sense of girlish wit.” Wilson came out covered in Cheng’s signature green beetles, an ode to the non-traditional materials she uses in her designs. 

Bittar had an underlying political message in his show. He said in an Instagram post that the presentation was “a story about misogyny, unchecked predators, objectification and trans rights.” The show was pageant themed and titled “Miss USA 1991.” He explained that each cast contestant represented a different U.S. state where trans rights are being targeted. Wilson came out from a revolving stage as Miss South Carolina. She showcased Bittar’s new jewelry collection and Bittar’s scissor clutch.

To close out fashion week on Sept. 16, Wendy Williams made a surprise appearance at LaQuan Smith’s runway, decked out in clothing from his current fall/winter collection.