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Anna Wintour shoots down Washington move, job change rumors

Laura Donovan Contributor
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Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, who has spent years denying rumors that she’s abandoning the fashion world to begin a fresh love affair with some sort of Washington position, insists that she’s not breaking up with the fashion bible publication any time soon.

Wintour, who alluded to her admiration of first lady Michelle Obama during an extensive interview with the Wall Street Journal, has participated in several fund-raising events for President Barack Obama and praised his wife more than once. In 2009, the first lady graced the pages and front cover of Vogue.

“We’ve been incredibly impressed by what she has worn, pulling off that tricky balance between the stylistically interesting and the absolutely appropriate,” Wintour said of the first lady in 2009. “She emerged during the campaign as this enigmatic and strong woman with such great personal style. I think at the beginning, she had quite a hard time capturing the hearts of America, and it was interesting to all of us to see how that changed…Mrs. Obama loves fashion. She isn’t, like some people in Washington, frightened of it.”

But Wintour’s fondness of Michelle Obama does not indicate a Washington career change on the fashionista’s part. The magazine editor says she has more to do with her publication.

“With all the new media outlets out there, with all the noise, a voice of authority and calm like Vogue becomes more important than ever,” Wintour said. “The more eyes on fashion, the more opinions about fashion, the more exploration of fashion around the world, the better it is for Vogue. Vogue is like Nike or Coca-Cola — this huge global brand. I want to enhance it, I want to protect it, and I want it to be part of the conversation.”