Australian-based fashionista Grace Lam has revealed a remarkable story about declining a prestigious job offer from her former boss, the iconic Anna Wintour. Wintour, 76, is the world-renowned style guru who inspired Meryl Streep's character in The Devil Wears Prada franchise. Lam, 51, showed no fear when she turned down a coveted role in Shanghai.
Life in Perth and Family Priorities
At the time, Lam was living in Perth, raising a young family, after spending a decade as senior fashion editor for Vogue China. She explained that working in China is not as straightforward as many believe. 'Working in China is tricky. It's not as easy as people think,' Lam shared on the Mamamia Unleashed podcast. She added, 'I don't want to bring up my son in China.'
The Zoom Call Without Glasses
Despite her reservations, Lam agreed to a Zoom call with Wintour, who is known for her trademark dark glasses, bobbed hairstyle, and demanding management style. 'So then she called me without glasses,' Lam said. 'Straight away, she said to me, "How are you doing in Perth?"' This was the first proper conversation Lam ever had with Wintour, and she joked that she did not find the media veteran 'scary at all.'
Turning Down the Offer
During the call, Wintour mentioned that Lam's name had come up as a candidate for editor-in-chief of Vogue China. 'Straight away, I said, "No,"' Lam recalled. 'I said, "I don't want to live in China again. I've done that. And I have a son to think about. So, I'm not doing it." Then we hung up.' After the call, Lam reflected on the surreal experience and emailed her president, who told her she was the only person he knew who had said no to Anna Wintour. Lam responded, 'I'm going to put that down on my gravestone.'
Fashion Fatigue and New Beginnings
Lam added that at the time of the offer, she was 'tired' of the luxury fashion world, which she described as 'b***hy' and 'neurotic.' Born in Hong Kong, Lam relocated to Melbourne from Perth in 2025 with her Australian husband, Jason Capobianco, and their teenage son, Theo. Now a consultant, Lam began her fashion career in London, studying at Chelsea College of Arts and Central St Martins. She later worked at i-D magazine before being recruited to Vogue China as senior fashion editor in 2005. She left that role in 2014 to start her own consultancy, Grace Lam Style, in Hong Kong, which later moved to Australia.
