Jennifer Hocking: The Fashion Editor Who Gave Anna Wintour Her First Job

Jennifer Hocking was a successful 1950s fashion model who became one of the influential editors of British fashion magazines in the 1960s and 1970s. At Harper’s & Queen, she hired a young Anna Wintour as an editorial assistant, helping launch the magazine career of the future Vogue editor. But Jennifer Hocking’s story extends far beyond Anna Wintour. Born in Australia, she moved to London in the 1950s, worked as a fashion model, and later entered the editorial world of Harper’s Bazaar and Queen. Her career reflected a remarkable transformation in fashion, from postwar elegance to the youth-driven styles of Swinging London. In this episode of One Fashion Question, we explore Hocking’s work as a model and fashion editor, her connection to Anna Wintour, and her influence on British fashion journalism. We also follow her later return to modeling, including her work with photographer Mario Testino for Burberry. Chapters 00:00 Jennifer Hocking and Anna Wintour: A Fashion History Connection 00:45 Jennifer Hocking: From Australia to London 01:04 1950s Fashion Models and British Fashion Photography 01:45 From Fashion Model to Magazine Editor 02:16 Harper’s Bazaar, Queen and British Fashion Magazines 03:08 1960s Fashion, Mary Quant and Swinging London 03:41 Anna Wintour’s First Magazine Job at Harper’s & Queen 05:06 Fashion Editorials and the Changing Visual Language of Style 06:48 Jennifer Hocking’s Legacy in Fashion History One Fashion Question explores the people, designers, ph