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Anna Wintour has revealed why her grandchildren used to call her by a strange nickname: “Dog”.
The editor in chief of Fashion74, spoke candidly about his dynamic with his family during an episode of the Origins with Crush Jumbo podcast, which aired on Sept. 3. Wintour is a mother to two adult children: Charles, 39, and Bee, 37, whom she shared with her late ex-husband, David Shaffer. She is also a grandmother, as Charles is a father to two children, Caroline, 7, and Ella, 5. Bea has a 2-year-old son, Oliver.
Speaking to podcast host Crush Jumbo, Wintour acknowledged that she doesn't necessarily see herself having more than three grandchildren in the future.
“I would love to have more, but maybe that’s it,” he said. “No, they’re great. They’re great.”
When asked what her grandchildren called her, she said it was simply “Anna,” rather than common nicknames like grandma or granny. When talking about her conversations with her grandchildren, she shared that they actually used to call her “dog.”
“We don't talk about [work]“We played tennis. We talked about the dogs. When they were little, they always saw me (we have three dogs) with the dogs. So they used to call me ‘dog,'” Wintour continued. “But, you know, I’m the lady with the, with the dogs, three dogs.”
This is not the first time Wintour has spoken about her relationship with her grandchildren. During her “73 Questions with FashionIn a 2022 photo shoot, Wintour was asked who she last had a FaceTime call with, to which she replied, “My grandchildren.” When asked what her grandchildren called her, she simply said, “Anna.”
During the episode of Origins with Crush JumboThe British actor shared a sweet voice note from Wintour's daughter, who described all the things that made her mother special.
“When I think about what sets my mom apart from others, it’s how much she supports the people around her. I’ve never met anyone who is so enthusiastic about celebrating the success of others. She lights up when she has the opportunity to honor or toast someone’s accomplishments, which she often does with themed cakes,” Bea said. “She’s a huge cheerleader for everyone lucky enough to be in her world.”
Bea also acknowledged that in addition to celebrating success, her mother is quick to take someone’s side when they are “struggling.”
“She’s the first one to pick up the phone to see how she can help,” Bea added of Wintour. “Getting on a plane, being there for someone, seeing what someone needs. She really defines unconditional love and is, without a doubt, the most understanding person I know.”
After listening to the voice note, Wintour went on to gush about her daughter and the time they spend together, which includes jointly planning an annual dinner before the Tony Awards.
“Bea spends weeks, months planning these cakes around each of the works that the person has been nominated for,” the fashion designer added. “She is more of a cake lover than I am.”
