Anna Wintour
👤 SpeakerAppearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
Anna's bias toward action revealed itself.
She assigned a spring fashion preview celebrating the season 9-11 had canceled.
While others froze, Vogue published, but 2008 revealed her true genius.
While other executives partied through 2007, Anna and publisher Tom Florio were studying currency rates.
The euro-dollar shift was crushing European luxury brands.
They saw the canary in the coal mine.
They built three scenarios—belt tightening, major cuts, or catastrophe mode—
When Bear Stearns collapsed, Florio warned other Condé Nast publishers.
Anna and Tom executed their plan.
Condé Nast ad pages dropped 30% in 2009, wiping out nearly $1 billion in revenue.
Vogue was one of only two magazines that stayed profitable.
Famously, after the 2008 crisis, Anna said internally, we will not participate in the recession.
The pattern never changed.
Position yourself for multiple possible futures.
Prepare to the extent possible.
Whether 9-11, 2008, or any crisis between, Anna's approach was identical.