IN THE KNOW-French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld

Carine Roitfeld was approached by Conde Nast to edit French Vogue in 2001, and has been the editor-in-chief of French Vogue for the past eight years.

Known as the anti-Anna, Roitfeld (age 54) remade French Vogue in her own image, which is to say svelte, tough, luxurious, and wholeheartedly in love with dangling-cigarette, bare-chested fashion. So much of the fashion world is about negotiating insecurity—exploiting it enough to make you want to buy things, but still nurturing, to keep you close. But Carine Roitfeld is like the industry’s X factor: Fashion does not, could not, make her insecure. Fashion is the place in the world where Roitfeld is most comfortable and at home. Because of this, Roitfeld’s French Vogue is the polar opposite of most American fashion magazines. It is unconcerned with making fashion wearable or accessible to its readers. It is not inclusive: There is no advice on how to dress if you’re shaped like a pear or about to turn 50.

In Roitfeld’s world, models are never too skinny, diamonds are never too expensive. Covers are not devoted to whichever film star has a blockbuster to promote, but primarily to models—when Roitfeld and Bruce Weber happened upon (former “Look Book” subject) André J., a black transvestite with an Afro, incredible legs, and an Amish-style chinstrap beard, they put him in a minidress and on the cover.

In April 2006, there were rumors that Roitfeld was being approached by Hearst Corporation to take over Glenda Bailey's editor-in-chief position at U.S. Harpers Bazaar.

In 2008 Roitfeld was on Vanity Fair’s international best dressed list. Check out the international styista below.