Amy Odell
Founder and writer, Back Row
Amy Odell is a New York based fashion and culture journalist who writes Back Row, a newsletter on Substack. She is the author of biographies of Anna Wintour and Gwyneth Paltrow and a former Cosmopolitan editor.
| Role | Founder and writer |
|---|---|
| Outlet | Back Row (Substack) |
| Based in | New York |
| Beat | Fashion media, celebrity, culture |
| Previously | Editor, Cosmopolitan |
Who is Amy Odell?
Amy Odell is a fashion and culture journalist and author based in New York. She writes Back Row, her newsletter on Substack, which covers the fashion industry, fashion media and celebrity culture.
Career
Odell graduated from New York University and was an editor at Cosmopolitan. Her journalism has appeared in New York magazine, Time, Bloomberg Businessweek, The Economist's 1843 and The Business of Fashion. She has also worked as a media consultant. Her books include:
- Tales From the Back Row: An Outsider's View from Inside the Fashion Industry (2015)
- ANNA: The Biography, about Anna Wintour (2022)
- Gwyneth: The Biography, about Gwyneth Paltrow (2025)
Both biographies were New York Times bestsellers, and the Anna Wintour biography has been translated into French and German.
Coverage
Back Row takes its name from her first book and follows fashion from the perspective of an informed observer. Areas she covers include:
- Fashion magazines, editors and media business
- Celebrity, wellness and lifestyle brands
- Luxury and designer news
- Culture and the business of influence
Frequently asked questions
Who is Amy Odell?
Amy Odell is a fashion and culture journalist who writes the Substack newsletter Back Row and is the author of biographies of Anna Wintour and Gwyneth Paltrow.
What does Amy Odell write about?
She covers fashion media, celebrity and lifestyle brands, luxury and the culture of the fashion industry.