So There: Anna Wintour's 'Runway to Win' Fashion Line for Obama Raked in $40 Million - Fashionista

So There: Anna Wintour's 'Runway to Win' Fashion Line for Obama Raked in $40 Million

Anna Wintour's 'Runway to Win' fundraising efforts for Obama--a fashion line sold online featuring everything from scarves to totes to dog collars designed by fashion's most well-known designers and celebrities--became an easy target for Obama critics. During the campaign, the Republican party released a video paroadying the MasterCard "Priceless" campaign: "Watching the Obama campaign host a ritzy NYC fashion show while 12 million Americans remain out of work? Priceless." Everyone from the usual suspects (ahem, Fox News) to The Atlantic mocked the effort as a sign of Obama's elitism. Only it worked. Like gangbusters.
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Wintour speaking at a 'Runway to Win' fundraiser

Wintour speaking at a 'Runway to Win' fundraiser

Anna Wintour's 'Runway to Win' fundraising effort for Obama--a fashion line sold online featuring everything from scarves to totes to dog collars designed by fashion's most well-known designers and celebrities--became an easy target for Obama critics.

During the campaign, the Republican party released a video parodying the MasterCard "Priceless" campaign: "Watching the Obama campaign host a ritzy NYC fashion show while 12 million Americans remain out of work? Priceless." Everyone from the usual suspects (ahem, Fox News) to The Atlantic mocked the effort as a sign of Obama's elitism.

Only it worked. Like gangbusters. Obama campaign manager Jim Messina revealed to Businessweek that 'Runway to Win' and its Bark for Obama Marc Jacobs-designed pet gear brought in a whopping $40 million.

Not that we're surprised--Anna Wintour doesn't really fail at anything. Businessweek's Joshua Green, however, is. "Compared to 'experts' like Karl Rove, who wound up losing hugely, Anna Wintour looks like a budding political genius," he wrote.

Upon learning of the success of 'Runway to Win', participant Prabal Gurung tweeted "Those who say 'Its just clothes' THINK again.SHE rules.Happy I was part of it."

We don't think Anna Wintour's going anywhere anytime soon, but if she ever wants to leave Vogue for politics, she's got a good shot.

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Anna Wintour has always been an Obama supporter (she donated $10K to Democratic White House Victory Fund in 2008) but to say she's ramped up her support for Obama's 2012 reelection campaign would be an understatement. She's one of Obama's top tier bundlers, which means she's raised over $500,000 for the reelection campaign. She put together Runway to Win, a project in which she recruited big name designers (many of whom Michelle Obama has worn) to create items to be sold on the campaign website. Wintour will head to Chicago on June 12 for a "Runway to Win" fundraiser (she hosted one in NYC back in February, too). And, in perhaps her most visible move in support of Obama, last week Wintour was the subject of a campaign video announcing a contest for potential donors to win the chance to dine with her, Sarah Jessica Parker, and the First Couple at a June 14 fundraiser. A few days later, one of those chatty, casual, Obama emails landed in our inboxes with Anna Wintour's name as the sender. "I don't do this sort of thing often -- get involved with politics, that is," the email reads. "But I'm doing everything I can to support President Obama this summer and fall because it's important that we all do. Nights in New York like this one are a happy side benefit." That video was met with immediate backlash.

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Last night Anna Wintour and Scarlett Johansson hosted "Runway to Win," the fundraising event in support of Obama's re-election campaign. Some fairly big-name fashion people attended, including model trio-of-the-moment Karlie Kloss, Chanel Iman, and Joan Smalls. Designers like Diane von Furstenberg, Tory Burch and Alexander Wang also all took time out from what is probably their busiest time of the year to come out to support Obama. You'll recall that a slew of them designed items like totes and tees for Obama's campaign. But not everyone is responding well to fashion's (or more specifically, Anna Wintour's) call to arms for Obama.