A Vogue wedding: Anna Wintour's daughter Bee Shaffer is engaged. So who will create her dress?
The daughter of Anna Wintour (editor-in-chief of American Vogue) is set to marry the son of Franca Sozzani (the late editor-in chief of Vogue Italia). Bee Shaffer and Francesco Carrozzini were first linked last autumn when Carrozzini- a director and photographer- was promoting the documentary Franca: Chaos and Creation which he had made about his mother, but the couple thought to have been together for some time before that.
The news emerged in a photo posted to the Instagram Stories account of Shaffer's best friend Selby Drummond, Vogue's Accessories Director. The image shows Shaffer in a spotted dress changing from heels into trainers, with her left hand strategically in view to show off her sparkling ring.
Although Shaffer hasn't followed her mother into the fashion industry- she is a producer on The Late Show with Seth Meyers in Los Angeles- her personal style channels Wintour's signature timeless elegance. Shaffer is often her mother's plus-one on the red carpet. For these high-octane events, Shaffer has turned to a smorgasbord of fashion's most noted names in the past, from Chanel and Balenciaga to Gucci and Alexander McQueen- hardly surprising given her high-level connection.
Shaffer might still be celebrating her engagement, but fashion industry talk has already turned to who might design her wedding gown. Alexander McQueen- the British design house which created the Duchess of Cambridge's wedding gown- is a strong contender for the commission. Creative director Sarah Burton's designs for McQueen are intricately crafted with a suitably grand sense of occassion.
Another Brit designer in the running is Erdem, whose pieces are similarly otherworldly and feminine but also offer the option of something less formal if the Shaffer-Carrozzini's go for a less formal ceremony. Both these London-based names would be an homage to Wintour's English roots.
Chanel is Wintour's failsafe go-to for the Met Gala which she hosts each May- the gold and white fringed gown she chose in 2016 would, come to think of it, make a beautifully modern bridal option in itself so it seems likely that Shaffer would call on the services of Karl Lagerfeld.
Oscar de la Renta was another close friend of Wintour's until his death in 2014. His label, renowned for its polished Park Avenue Princess look, is now under the design leadership of young designers Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia whose debut collection at February's New York fashion week proposed a slick new spin on American glamour.
Many couples opt to pay subtle tribute to loved ones who can't be with them at their wedding so Shaffer may ask an Italian designer to create her dress as a nod to Sozanni. She wore a cobalt gown by Gucci at last summer's CFDA awards so that could be an option; designer Alessandro Michele is the master of the showstopping maximalist gown (see Nicole Kidman in her parrot-shouldered look at the Golden Globes). Sozzani also had a penchant for Prada which would be an unexpected but perhaps brilliant choice while Dolce and Gabbana would deliver on sophisticated pizazzz.
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Sozzani passed away in December last year after a battle with lung cancer. Wintour penned a touching tribute to her long-time friend and colleague- they were both appointed editor-in-chief of their respective titles in 1988- which described their 30 year-long friendship and the blossoming romance between their two children. "In private, Franca was warm, clever, funny, and someone who could give the Sphinx a run for its money when it comes to keeping a confidence," Wintour wrote. "After she became ill, I began visiting her at her home in Milan. Her mind and spirit were undiminished as we discussed every topic under the sun, from the fall of Matteo Renzi, to her amazing work with women in Ghana, to our children’s miraculous love affair."
Anna Wintour's style over the years
