September 26, 2021
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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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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.

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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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