Huge news struck the fashion world earlier this month as Anna Wintour stepped down from her position as editor-in-chief of Vogue, naming Chloe Malle as her successor.

Chloe takes the newly labeled title of “Head of Editorial Content” for American Vogue; however, Wintour’s influence isn’t far removed, as she remains global editorial director of Vogue and chief content officer at Condé Nast. Her name is now easily recognized, but who really is Chloe Malle, the woman who stepped up to bat at one of the world’s most influential fashion magazines? Daughter of actress Candice Bergen and filmmaker Louis Malle, this New York City-born editor is a self-proclaimed “nepo baby.” Yet don’t let her spoils fool you; from her emergence as Vogue’s social editor in 2011 to her 14-year climb through the rankings, Malle is one of the top news makers at Vogue and appears well-suited to be the new boss.

Her appointment as successor by Wintour can be attributed to her strong digital leadership—seen through bold cover choices and the landing of high-profile exclusives, which have generated notable surges in Vogue’s digital traffic since she became editor of Vogue.com in 2023. One of her most notable contributions that illuminates her editorial sensibility is The Run-Through podcast, a weekly podcast she co-hosts that covers the “buzz” behind the scenes: the internal conversations being had by editors and what shapes editorial thinking. The show also features many standout guests, namely, Calvin Klein. In one of the show’s more recent episodes, he opened up about his early days in the industry, his design philosophy, and ultimately his legacy. It's worth a listen on Vogue’s site or any major podcast platform. However, the recent controversy over AI models appearing in Vogue has raised questions about the magazine’s identity under her leadership. The uproar centered on a Guess advertisement in Vogue’s August 2025 issue, featuring Anna Hathaway on the cover, just before Malle’s appointment. The ad featured AI-generated models, with the disclosure appearing only in a subtle footnote.

GUESS Campaign featured in August 2025 Vogue via CNN.

There was much backlash to this use of AI, as it was inconsistent with the magazine’s usually careful curation of photography and artistry that is real. Yet some commentators wonder what this means for the integration of AI into fashion, as AI appears poised to assert itself across various industries. Vogue clarified that the magazine’s commercial branch sourced the advertisement and did not run it past the editorial department. Despite Malle not bearing direct responsibility for the event, as the new editorial head, she will now be the one shaping Vogue’s response to such controversies and upholding the magazine’s integrity in a world of evolving media.

Works Cited

ABC News. “Controversy Stirs over AI-Generated Models in New Guess Ads in Vogue.” ABC News, 29 July 2025, https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Style/controversy-stirs-ai-generated-models-new-guess-ads/story?id=124271323.

Vogue. “Chloe Malle Appointed Head of Editorial Content at Vogue.” Condé Nast Press Release, 2 Sept. 2025, https://www.condenast.com/news/chloe-malle-appointed-head-of-editorial-content-at-vogue.

Vogue. “On the Podcast: Mr. Calvin Klein.” Vogue, 11 Sept. 2025, https://www.vogue.com/article/on-the-podcast-mr-calvin-klein.

Vogue. “The Run-Through with Vogue.” Vogue, Condé Nast, 2022–2025, https://www.vogue.com/podcast/the-run-through.

Vogue. “Vogue Announces Chloe Malle as Head of Editorial Content for U.S.” Vogue, 2 Sept. 2025, https://www.vogue.com/article/chloe-malle-appointed-head-of-editorial-content-us.

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