Amy Odell

This definitive biography of the legendary fashion journalist and media mogul follows her journey from the trendy fashion scene of swinging 1960s London to becoming the editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine.

The Biography

Anna

Funny and fearless, Tales from the Back Row is a keenly observed collection of personal essays about what it’s really like to be a young woman working in the fashion industry. In Tales from the Back Row, Cosmopolitan.com editor Amy Odell takes readers behind the stage of New York’s hottest fashion shows to meet the world’s most influential models, designers, celebrities, editors, and photographers. But first, she has to push her way through the crowds outside, where we see the lengths people go to be noticed by the lurking paparazzi, and weave her way through the packed venue, from the very back row to the front. And as Amy climbs the ladder (with tips about how you can, too), she introduces an industry powered by larger-than-life characters: she meets the intimidating Anna Wintour and the surprisingly gracious Rachel Zoe, not to mention the hilarious Chelsea Handler, and more. As she describes the allure of Alexander Wang’s ripped tights and Marchesa’s Oscar-worthy dresses, Amy artfully layers in something else: ultimately this book is about how the fashion industry is an exaggerated mirror of human fallibility—reflecting our desperate desire to belong, to make a mark, to be included. For Amy is the first to admit that as much as she is embarrassed by the thrill she gets when she receives an invitation to an exclusive after-party, she can’t help but RSVP “yes.”

An Outsider’s View from Inside the Fashion Industry

Tales from the Back Row

The life and career of one of the most important women in media—Anna Wintour, the iconic editor in chief of Vogue who has changed the face of fashion—are expertly explored in this definitive biography featuring exclusive interviews and untold revelations. As a child, Anna Wintour was a tomboy with no apparent interest in fashion but, seduced by the miniskirts and bob haircuts of swinging 1960s London, she grew into a fashion-obsessed teenager. Her father, an influential newspaper editor, loomed large in her life, and once he decided she should become editor in chief of Vogue, she never looked back. Impatient to start her career, she left high school and got a job at a trendy boutique in London—an experience which would be the first of many defeats. Undeterred, she found work within the competitive world of magazines, eventually moving to New York to leave behind an association with her well-known father. Before long, Anna’s journey to Vogue became a battle to ascend, no matter who or what stood in her way. Once she was crowned editor in chief—in one of the most vicious transitions in fashion magazine history—she continued the fight to retain her enviable position, ultimately rising to dominate all of Condé Nast itself. Based on extensive interviews with Anna Wintour’s closest friends and collaborators, including some of the biggest names in fashion, journalist Amy Odell has crafted the most revealing portrait of Wintour ever published. Weaving Anna’s personal story within a larger narrative about the hierarchical dynamics of the fashion industry and the complex world of Condé Nast, Anna charts the relentless ambition of the woman who would become an icon.

'Fascinating' Sunday Times 'Deeply sourced and rich with anecdotes' The Times 'Like a nonfiction version of The Devil Wears Prada' Elizabeth Day 'Odell's extensive reporting dredges up a wealth of delightful details' New York Times This definitive biography of Anna Wintour chronicles the steep climb of an ambitious young woman who would, with singular and legendary focus, become the most powerful woman in media. As a child, Anna Wintour was a tomboy with no apparent interest in clothing but, seduced by the miniskirts and bob haircuts of swinging 1960s London, she grew into a fashion-obsessed teenager. Her father, the influential editor of the Evening Standard, loomed large in her life, and once he decided she should become editor in chief of Vogue, she never looked back. Impatient to start her career, she left high school and got a job at a fashionable boutique in London - an experience that would be the first of many defeats. Undeterred, she found work in the competitive world of magazines, eventually moving to New York. Before long, Anna's journey to Vogue became a battle to ascend, no matter who or what stood in her way. Once she was crowned editor in chief - in one of the stormiest transitions in fashion magazine history - she continued the fight to retain her enviable position, ultimately rising to dominate all of Condé Nast. Based on extensive interviews with Anna Wintour's closest friends and collaborators, including some of the biggest names in fashion, journalist Amy Odell has crafted the most revealing portrait of Wintour ever published. Weaving Anna's personal story into a larger narrative about the hierarchical dynamics of the fashion industry and the complex world of Condé Nast, Anna charts the relentless ambition of the woman who would become an icon.

Au sein de la microsphère fashion, où paillettes et coups bas sont de mise, vit et règne Anna Wintour. Est-elle vraiment la tyrannique rédactrice en chef du Diable s’habille en Prada ou bien simplement une femme engagée, visionnaire et passionnée, à la tête de l’un des plus grands magazines de mode ? Dans cette biographie non autorisée, Amy Odell nous raconte l’ascension, et les faux pas, d’Anna Wintour jusqu’au sommet de l’univers de la mode. Pour cela, elle a interrogé les plus proches amis et collaborateurs d’Anna Wintour afin d’en dresser un portrait à la fois intime et multifacette qui nous fait entrer dans les coulisses des magazines et de la haute couture.

Anna Wintour

Au sein de la microsphère fashion, où paillettes et coups bas sont de mise, vit et règne Anna Wintour. Est-elle vraiment la tyrannique rédactrice en chef du Diable s'habille en Prada ou bien simplement une femme engagée, visionnaire et passionnée, à la tête de l'un des plus grands magazines de mode ? Dans cette biographie non autorisée, Amy Odell nous raconte l'ascension, et les faux pas, d'Anna Wintour jusqu'au sommet de l'univers de la mode. Pour cela, elle a interrogé les plus proches amis et collaborateurs d'Anna Wintour afin d'en dresser un portrait à la fois intime et multifacette qui nous fait entrer dans les coulisses des magazines et de la haute couture.

biographie

Anna Wintour ist die mächtigste Frau der Modewelt. Seit über dreißig Jahren steht sie an der Spitze der amerikanischen Vogue und hat mit rigorosem Urteil die Karrieren unzähliger Designer gefördert – oder zerstört. Wer verbirgt sich hinter der mythenumrankten Modeikone mit Sonnenbrille und Pagenschnitt, die als Vorbild für den Weltbestseller Der Teufel trägt Prada diente? Die Journalistin Amy Odell hat sich auf intensive Spurensuche begeben und zahlreiche Gespräche mit Wintours engsten Vertrauten und Wegbegleitern geführt. Das Ergebnis ist ein packendes und authentisches Porträt, das eindrucksvoll vor Augen führt, wie sich eine junge Frau dank ihres unermüdlichen Ehrgeizes und einzigartigen Talents in der internationalen Modewelt ganz nach oben gekämpft und diese für immer verändert hat.

Aus dem Leben einer Modeikone. Die Biografie über Vogue Chefin Anna Wintour. Bekannt aus »Der Teufel trägt Prada«. Das perfekte Geschenk für Fans von Fashion, Mode, Lifestyle

Amy Odell

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