Naomi Campbell seemingly threw shade at Vogue editor Anna Wintour while accepting an award in New York City.
The iconic supermodel, 54, received the Fashion Icon Award at the Harlem’s Fashion Row Fashion Show & Style Awards on Tuesday, September 3. While speaking to the crowd as a presenter, Wintour, 74, referenced Campbell by saying, “I am a very punctual person, and I have the honor of presenting tonight to someone who is often late.”
Wintour then left the event and Samira Nasr, the editor of Harper’s Bazaar, presented the award to Campbell on Wintour’s behalf.
“I want to say this. Everything is meant to work out the way it’s going to work out. It wasn’t my choice to have the other lady,” Campbell said on stage per social media footage, apparently referring to Wintour. She then motioned toward Nasr, adding, “I would much rather have this.”
The women’s remarks soon circulated online and were picked up by TMZ, which reported on Wednesday, September 4, that Campbell had not arrived late to the event but rather showed up “at the time she was instructed by the event’s producers.”
According to the outlet, Wintour pushed her presentation to an earlier time slot so that she could attend the U.S. Open in Queens. The legendary magazine editor was spotted in the stands at Arthur Ashe Stadium later on Tuesday.
The apparent scheduling mix-up, however, did not prevent Wintour and Campbell from dishing compliments about each other.
USA Today quoted Wintour as telling the Style Awards audience that Campbell is “bold, bright and entirely, unquestionably herself.”
She also said that “Naomi is honestly one of the most fearless people I know, a quality that was evident at the very, very start of her career when she began to speak the truth about inequality and injustice. And this was at a time when it was not so common to do so.”
Wintour continued, “Naomi’s bravery has benefited the entire fashion industry. Though, I can tell you that being on the receiving end of that fearlessness can be — oh what can I say? Quite exciting? But it’s her honesty that makes her so incredible to be around, a muse and inspiration for designers.”
Speaking later that night, Campbell praised Wintour for championing her modeling career early on.
“We must still say thank you to Anna Wintour, as she did take the time to come here and give me the award even though I wasn’t here,” Campbell said. “So thank you, Anna Wintour, for your support in my career from 1987, meeting a young Black girl from South London in British Vogue offices and taking a chance in giving me a shoot. And so I thank you for your influence and your continuing support in pushing fashion forward also.”
Us Weekly has reached out to Campbell and Wintour’s reps for comment.
Wintour’s love of tennis famously runs deep.
Earlier this year, tennis pro Roger Federer spoke exclusively to Us about his two-decade friendship with her.
“She invited me to dinner parties that she hosts always for all her friends and their partners and so forth,” Federer, 43, said. “I realized she’s a massive tennis fan. Oh my God, she loves my game. And then she got along with Mirka, my wife, really well.”
He told Us that she even played hooky from work to keep up with his tennis matches.
“We saw each other from time and time and she started skipping some of those fashion shows to come watch my games at the U.S. Open,” he said, adding, “I could lean on her for some amazing advice and she’s always been there for me more as a friend.”
Federer retired from the sport in 2022. At Tuesday’s U.S. Open competition, Americans Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz advanced to the semifinals.
As for Campbell, the runway icon has been enjoying her life as a new parent these days. She confirmed in a recent interview with The Sunday Times that both of her children were welcomed via surrogate. “I did,” she told the outlet when asked whether she had help expanding her family.
Though she did not disclose the names of her daughter and son, whom she welcomed in 2021 and 2023, respectively, Campbell gushed about her two small children. “My babies are everything to me. It’s made me fear for the future,” she stated. “I hope for a better world for my children. They are 110 percent my priority. I have to be there for them on their first day at school.”
