Anna Wintour speaks out against gender norms in fashion

The iconic editor says she once hired a man on the spot because he came to the interview wearing a dress.

Anna Wintour

Vogue Editor Anna Wintour speaks about gender fluidity in fashion. Source: YouTube

Anna Wintour, longtime US Vogue Editor and vocal LGBTIQ+ advocate, has revealed her thoughts on gender norms in the fashion industry, insisting that people should feel comfortable wearing whatever best represents them.

"It’s so interesting to me how people dress when they come in for interviews," Wintour said in the 'Ask Anna' video, which was shared by Vogue.

"Sometimes you feel they’re wearing clothes that they just bought that morning or maybe the night before, and not something that in any way suits their personality and who they are."

She continued, recalling one job interview in particular: "I’ll always remember a young man who came in in a dress and a handbag, and I gave him the job on the spot. You have to dress for yourself. I think it doesn’t do yourself a service to fake it."
Wintour, who earlier this year against Margaret Court's anti-gay comments during the Australian Open, said that she doesn't believe in restrictive gender norms when it comes to fashion.

"I do not believe that men and women should have separate rules," she said. "I think that if a man chooses to wear a dress, that’s great, and women have certainly been wearing men’s suits for a very long time."

She added: "The boundary should cross over, we should celebrate that. Of course, fashion has to change, it’s about change, this is what this industry is.

"If somebody wants to show men mixed with women or totally a gender-fluid collection and they want to show it in Tokyo in January or June, what difference does it make? Everybody has to follow the path that they feel is right for them."

Florals in Spring might not be, but these comments feel groundbreaking.

You can watch the full video below:

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2 min read
Published 7 March 2019 12:02pm
By Samuel Leighton-Dore


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