The fashion world is a twitter over the comments French Vogue editrix Carine Roitfeld made about American Vogue editrix Anna Wintour in this week's New York magazine. Industry bible Women's Wear Daily printed their telling reactions today, as reported by Paris bureau chief Miles Socha and correspondent Stephanie D. Smith:
COLD FRONT: Was there a chill between Anna Wintour and Carine Roitfeld during the Milan shows this week? Speculation bubbled up that the editor in chief of Vogue was ruffled by a profile of her Paris counterpart in New York magazine that carried the title "The Anti-Anna" and had Roitfeld commenting on the celebrity editor phenomenon: "It is very difficult not to become a puppet," Roitfeld is quoted as saying. "Like Anna, she becomes so iconic that she becomes like a puppet. I don't want to be like that, I don't want to wear this uniform, I don't want to be just an envelope."
Elsewhere in the article, Roitfeld talks about fashion's strong commercial bent: "I will never be a business girl, but I will say, for Anna Wintour, that I respect successful people, I like things that are success. But this is really American."
Asked about the article as she exited Fendi's show on Thursday, Wintour replied, "Maybe you should ask Carine," adding, "I have no comment."
For her part, Roitfeld said Wintour is "right to be upset" and charged that the writer, Amy Larocca, misinterpreted her remarks. "Maybe my English is not perfect," Roitfeld said. "Sometimes journalists look for problems where there aren't any. I am extremely sorry. I am very respectful of Anna. She has always been excessively helpful ever since I've had this job…and I don't forget people who have helped me. She is an icon in the best sense of the word."
Asked for comment from Larocca, a spokeswoman for New York magazine said: "Amy had a wonderful time talking to Carine, who she respects immensely. In their conversation, and as Amy wrote in her story, Carine was very candid about her admiration for Anna Wintour, saving any negative comments for the media spotlight that makes their jobs more difficult. The magazine stands by the story."
(Photos by Stephane Feugere for WWD)
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