Vogue World heads to San Francisco, another sign of tech’s fashion approval
Vogue World will take place in San Francisco next year. Anna Wintour’s choice is widely seen as a further sign that tech leaders have become fashion trendsetters.
Vogue’s fashion, art and music event Vogue World will move to San Francisco next year. In the announcement, Anna Wintour said Vogue believes in celebrating cities and called San Francisco a city like no other, one of diverse communities, a love of the arts and creativity, and no fear of change. She also pointed to the city’s rebellious history and said it has always stood up for its values. Wintour added that Vogue World would support San Francisco’s creative minds, strengthen the local ecosystem and show that the city is on the rise.
The news came after rumors that Wintour had met with San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie.
Over the past year, Wintour has grown closer to some of the most powerful figures in tech. At this year’s Met Gala, Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sanchez, were lead sponsors. Google’s Sergey Brin also attended, and Mark Zuckerberg went for the first time. OpenAI, Meta and Snap each bought a table for $350,000. TikTok, Apple and Instagram had sponsored the event before, but the tech presence this year was so strong that some called it the “tech gala.”
Last year, Vogue put Lauren Sanchez on its cover after she married Bezos. The fashion world saw that as Wintour’s stamp of approval not only for Sanchez but for tech and its leaders as worthy of cultural recognition.
Vogue World has previously been held in New York, London, Paris and, this year, Milan. San Francisco has long been known as a hub for free-spirited bohemians, while tech workers are often associated with hoodies, Patagonia vests and expensive sneakers. For instance, Alexandr Wang, who now leads Meta’s Superintelligence Labs, appeared in an interview with Y Combinator’s Garry Tan wearing a faded Nintendo T-shirt and what looked like Crocs.
But there are signs of change. Zuckerberg, once known for gray T-shirts and jeans, has made an effort to be more fashionable and was spotted in the front row at a Prada show with his wife, Priscilla Chan. The new Meta Glasses campaign has celebrity ambassadors and resembles a Saint Laurent or Balenciaga ad. OpenAI and Palantir have also released merchandise collaborations that play on tech workers’ minimalist style.
There may be creative potential in the understated Northern California style, and fashion designers could be inspired by San Francisco’s tech industry.
