Anna Wintour is seeking a new Vogue editor-in-chief but will maintain editorial control

NEW YORK — 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 theater editor in perpetuity.''

Wintour will remain chief content officer for Condé Nast and global editorial director of Vogue. The news shook the fashion world and Wintour-watchers on social media amid breathless headlines that she was ''stepping down'' from the magazine. The new lead will report directly to Wintour in her capacity as global editorial director, Vogue said in a statement posted to its website later Thursday.

''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.

As chief content officer, Wintour will continue to oversee every Condé Nast brand globally, including 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.

''In effect, the addition of a new editorial lead for Vogue US will allow Wintour greater time and flexibility to support the other global markets that Condé Nast serves,'' the Vogue statement said.

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. And she'll remain involved in Vogue World, a traveling fashion and cultural event the magazine began in 2022.

Four years ago, Condé Nast changed its editorial structure, bringing together 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.

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.