Diana Vreeland
Editor in chief of Vogue and Costume Institute consultant
Diana Vreeland was an American fashion editor who shaped twentieth century fashion media as fashion editor of Harper's Bazaar, editor in chief of Vogue from 1963 to 1971 and later special consultant to the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She is remembered for her bold vision and for turning fashion exhibitions into major cultural events.
| Role | Editor in chief, Vogue (1963 to 1971) |
|---|---|
| Harper's Bazaar | Fashion editor, 1939 to 1962 |
| Metropolitan Museum | Costume Institute consultant from 1971 |
| Born | 1903, Paris |
| Died | 1989, New York |
Who was Diana Vreeland?
Diana Vreeland was born in Paris in 1903 and died in New York in 1989. She became a naturalised American citizen in 1925. Over five decades she worked at the two most important American fashion magazines and then at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, leaving a lasting mark on fashion journalism and on how fashion is displayed and remembered.
Career
In 1936 Vreeland began writing a column for Harper's Bazaar called Why Don't You...?, full of imaginative and whimsical suggestions. In 1939 she joined the magazine's staff full time and was soon appointed fashion editor, a post she held for 23 years under editor Carmel Snow and her successors. She directed the March 1943 cover that launched the modelling career of the future actress Lauren Bacall.
Vreeland left Bazaar in 1962 and joined Vogue, becoming editor in chief in 1963. She led the magazine through the 1960s and in 1965 coined the term youthquake to describe the youth driven culture and fashion of the decade. She was removed from the editorship in 1971.
That same year she became special consultant to the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. By 1984 she had organised twelve exhibitions, which drew large audiences and helped establish fashion as a subject for major museum shows.
Influence on the fashion business
Vreeland's legacy for the industry includes:
- Treating fashion magazines as a source of fantasy and inspiration rather than only practical advice
- Championing new talent and new ideas of beauty in the 1960s
- Turning museum fashion exhibitions into popular cultural events
- Helping establish the Costume Institute as a central institution in fashion
She published Allure in 1980 and her autobiography D.V. in 1984. France made her a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 1970 and of the Légion d'honneur in 1976. The 2011 documentary Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel introduced her to a new generation.
Why it matters
Many practices that now shape fashion marketing, from editorial storytelling to blockbuster museum exhibitions sponsored by brands, can be traced to Vreeland's work. She showed that fashion could be presented as culture and spectacle, an approach that continues to influence how houses build desire and heritage.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Diana Vreeland?
Diana Vreeland was an American fashion editor. She was fashion editor of Harper's Bazaar from 1939 to 1962, editor in chief of Vogue from 1963 to 1971 and then special consultant to the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
What is Diana Vreeland known for?
She is known for her bold editorial vision, her Why Don't You column, coining the term youthquake in 1965 and for turning Costume Institute exhibitions into major cultural events.