Vogue's Anna Wintour exits editor-in-chief post, but remains brand's global boss

Anna Wintour is stepping down as Vogue editor-in-chief but will retain editorial control over the storied magazine.

The longtime Vogue powerhouse told staff Thursday she's seeking a head of editorial content to handle more of the day-to-day operations. But she's holding on to plenty of power to keep her a force at the magazine that built her reputation in fashion.

"And it goes without saying," she joked, "that I plan to remain Vogue's tennis and theatre editor in perpetuity."

"Anybody in a creative field knows how essential it is never to stop growing in one's work. When I became the editor of Vogue, I was eager to prove to all who might listen that there was a new, exciting way to imagine an American fashion magazine," Wintour told staff.

"Now, I find that my greatest pleasure is helping the next generation of impassioned editors storm the field with their own ideas, supported by a new, exciting view of what a major media company can be," she added.

Wintour, 75, will remain chief content officer for magazine publisher Condé Nast and global editorial director of Vogue, a spokesperson for the company confirmed to CBC News. 

The new head of editorial content for the magazine will report directly to Wintour, Vogue said in a statement posted to its website later Thursday.

As chief content officer, Wintour will continue to oversee every Condé Nast brand globally, including American Vogue, Wired, Vanity Fair, GQ, AD, Condé Nast Traveler, Glamour, Bon Appétit, Tatler, World of Interiors, Allure and more, with the exception of The New Yorker.

Wintour also oversees the annual Met Gala, fashion's biggest night and a major fundraiser for the fashion wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Four years ago, the company changed its editorial structure, bringing together the editorial teams around the world for the first time.

Every market where Condé Nast operates has a head of editorial content led by a global editorial director.

The new role at American Vogue is part of that reorganization. The new structure has already been rolled out at other Vogue titles around the world.

The company will not seek an editor-in-chief to replace Wintour at American Vogue, replacing that title with the new head of editorial content. The idea is to afford Wintour more time to tend to other titles in her portfolio.

Wintour transformed Vogue during her decades at the magazine.

She was named creative director in 1983, served as editor-in-chief of British Vogue from 1985 to 1987 then rejoined the American title as editor-in-chief.

She modernized the magazine by featuring celebrities on its covers and mixing high fashion with more affordable street style.

She championed emerging designers, including Marc Jacobs, Alexander McQueen and John Galliano, and broadened the brand's reach by adding new titles around the world.