Quotes from Anna Wintour

For my very first September issue, I put Naomi Campbell on the cover. She was wearing this orange Anne Klein sequin suit - it would probably look incredibly '80s today.

I don't have a high-powered life out of work. I like to go to the country for the weekend with the kids and the dog and play tennis. I am very good at turning off.

I'd always been extremely fascinated by the French Nuit Blanche, which is a weekend that they have in Paris where they keep all the museums open until dawn. You can go and hang out in Versailles in the middle of the night and watch the sun come up.

For us, creativity means thinking about the lives of our audience and how to connect with them.

The notion that a contemporary woman must look mannish in order to be taken seriously as a seeker of power is frankly dismaying. This is America, not Saudi Arabia.

It is important always to have really original talent. There are lots of good designers that make attractive clothes and make women look beautiful. But at the same time, one doesn't want to lose the idea that there is someone out there who can change the way you look at fashion.

I surround myself with a talented group of people that are opinionated and interesting. I try to remain very open to what others have to say.

I worked for Harper's Bazaar. They fired me. I recommend that you all get fired; it's a great learning experience.

I think what you have to do in print is to create even more memorable images and more memorable pieces because what one consumes online or in social has a much shorter shelf life, so to speak, so what print has to have is no more weight, but it has to be something that you can't find so easily online. It has to really stand for print.

Even if you aren't sure of yourself, pretend that you are... most people prevaricate.

I learned how important it is to lead and be decisive and to, in a way, empower other people to do their best.

Fashion today is available to everybody in a way that it's never been before: you've got every designer you've ever heard of working for H& or Target. That's fantastic.

Everyone should be sacked at least once in their career because perfection doesn't exist. It's important to have setbacks, because that is the reality of life.

Even if I'm completely unsure, I'll pretend I know exactly what I'm talking about and make a decision.

Previous first ladies seemed to feel the need to wear a sort of uniform, whereas Michelle Obama likes fashion and is very comfortable in fashion. She's happy to mix high and low, and she loves emerging designers. That will do nothing but good for our industry.

'Vogue' has a history of picking up on various TV shows that reflect a moment in popular culture, whether it's putting Lena Dunham on the cover or Sarah Jessica Parker.

There's no point about whining or complaining or screaming.

I have such an extraordinary platform where I am able to help people. To me, that's the number one priority.

Create your own style… let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others.

It's always about timing. If it's too soon, no one understands. If it's too late, everyone's forgotten.

You either know fashion or you don't.

Just be true to yourself, and listen as much as one is able to to other people whose opinions you respect and look up to but in the end it has to come from you. You can't really worry too much by looking to the left and the right about what the competition is doing or what other people in your field are doing. It has to be a true vision.

If you look at any great fashion photograph out of context, it will tell you just as much about what's going on in the world as a headline in The New York Times.

If you can't be better than your competition, just dress better.