Naomi Campbell Criticizes Anna Wintour in Acceptance Speech
Throughout most of her time as editor-in-chief of Vogue, Wintour has typically had a team of two or three assistants. In the 2010s, Odell detailed the diverse roles these assistants played based on information from background sources.
“The first assistant oversaw the other assistants, managed Wintour’s schedule, and was the main point of contact for communication with Anna,” Odell explained. “The second assistant handled interactions with household staff and chefs at Wintour’s residences in Manhattan and Long Island, organized her film viewings, and took care of her pets.”
Odell went on to describe, “The third assistant ran errands, picked up tickets for shows, assisted during fashion week events, and ordered Wintour’s outfits directly from designers, often requesting customized runway looks.”
While the first assistant had weekends off, the second and third assistants took turns being on call, as Wintour frequently made various demands without specific instructions.
New assistants received a 21-page manual outlining most of their duties, although it was noted that the guide was not exhaustive. Their workdays began at 7 a.m. and often lasted for 12 hours. Former assistant Meredith Asplundh disclosed that her starting salary was $25,000, while Laurie Schechter, one of Wintour’s original assistants, shared that she lost eight pounds within her first two weeks.