Alexandra Shulman Keynote Speaker

Alexandra Shulman CBE is one of Europe’s most influential fashion editors, best known for her 25-year tenure as Editor-in-Chief of British Vogue, the longest in the magazine’s history. Appointed in 1992, she led the title through a transformative period, overseeing record-breaking circulation figures and landmark issues, including the iconic 1999 “Millennium Issue,” the highest-selling edition of Vogue.

Born and raised in London, Alexandra was educated at St Paul’s Girls’ School before earning a BA in Social Anthropology from the University of Sussex. She began her career in the music industry before moving into publishing, initially working as a secretary at Over 21 magazine. She went on to become a journalist at Tatler in 1980, later serving as Women’s Editor at The Sunday Telegraph. Returning to Vogue as Features Editor in 1988, she soon made history as the first female editor of British GQ at its launch in 1990.

During her time at Vogue, Alexandra was known for her strong editorial principles, notably her refusal to promote diets or cosmetic surgery and her stance against granting celebrities copy approval. She also expanded the brand beyond print, launching the Vogue Festival and spearheading its digital evolution, including Vogue.co.uk and Vogue Video.

An accomplished author, Alexandra has written both fiction and non-fiction. Her works include the novels Can We Still Be Friends and The Parrots, as well as her bestselling memoir Inside Vogue: A Diary of My 100th Year. Her later book, Clothes… and Other Things That Matter (2020), was a Sunday Times bestseller.   Her latest book  ‘Black Coffee and Red Lipstick: Notes on living’  is published in October 2026.

In recognition of her contribution to fashion journalism, she was awarded an OBE in 2007 and a CBE in 2018. Alongside her writing, she contributes regularly to the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, and is a prominent commentator on fashion, female leadership, and contemporary culture.

Alexandra has also held a number of notable cultural and charitable roles, including serving as a Trustee of the National Portrait Gallery and The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. She is currently Vice President of The London Library and a Trustee of The Wallace Collection.

She now works as a journalist, consultant, and speaker.