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Although the shoot happened more than 10 years ago, Vogue editor Anna Wintour recently revealed that she "strongly encouraged" Oprah Winfrey to lose 20 pounds for her 1998 Vogue cover.
And Oprah did it!
'It was a very gentle suggestion,' said Wintour during an unaired portion of Sunday's '60 Minutes' interview with Morley Safer. "I went to Chicago to visit Oprah, and I suggested that it might be an idea that she lose a little bit of weight. I said simply that you might feel more comfortable. She was a trouper!"
The most famous editrix in fashion and the inspiration for the book and movie 'The Devil Wears Prada,' "Nuclear Wintour" is known for her low tolerance for mediocrity and body fat -- both in the pages of Vogue and even on her staff at the "bible of fashion."
Oprah Winfrey Fashion Transformation
Twenty Years of Beautiful at Any Size
Consistently ranked as one of the richest and most powerful women in the world -- even credited with giving President-elect Obama over one million votes -- Oprah Winfrey has indeed risen to heights heretofore thought unimaginable. As with all of humanity, though, Oprah has had one very persistent and public struggle, and that is with her weight, which has fluctuated through the years, unlike her meteoric star. As we chronicle her looks over a 20-year period, you'll see that Winfrey remains smart about choosing styles that compliment her figure at any size. There should be NO shame in her game!
Text by Hayat Mohamed, Photo editor, Denyse Clarke
AP, Getty Images
November 1988
In 1988, two years after the debut of her highly successful talk show, Oprah was at her lowest weight ever, dropping an astounding 68 pounds. Who could forget the day she unveiled her new figure on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' along with a wagon carrying 68-pounds of fat?
Charles Bennet, AP
January 1991
Three years after her amazing weight loss, Oprah fell off track and packed on some extra pounds. Her petite figure was history at in 1991 at the Daytime Emmy Awards, of which the undisputed talk show queen has won many.
Time Life Pictures / Getty Images
May 1994
"Three" seems to be the magic word for Oprah -- or maybe "corsets"... At the 1994 Emmy Awards, the media mogul showed off a tiny waist and sculpted arms in a form-fitting dress.
Dave Allocca, Getty Images
May 1995
A failed diet regimen or a poorly-cut dress? Whatever the reason, it appeared that Ms. Winfrey's Emmy count wasn't the only thing climbing that year. When she received her award at the Daytime Emmy Awards her hips appear to have widened noticeably from the year before. She still stands triumphant.
Paul Hurschman, AP
February 1996
Ms. O's waistline was looking rather slim at the 68th Academy Awards in a navy blue fitted satin gown in 1996. Eleven years prior, Winfrey was nominated for an Academy Award for her role as Sophia in 'The Color Purple.' Since then, she has starred in and produced several films.
AP
September 2003
Oprah arrived to the 54th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in 2002 in a mellow yellow dress and her constant companion Stedman Graham, her man since 1986. Despite the added weight she was simply radiant on the red carpet. There goes that corset again!
Steve Granitz, WireImages
January 2003
In 2003, Oprah managed to stabilize her weight. Maybe it's the slimming choice of black but she looked as if she had dropped a few pounds when she was spotted attending the American Auction at the Metropolitan in NYC.
Arnaldo Magnani, Getty Images
February 2003
A month later, Ms. Winfrey was looking pretty fierce on the red carpet of the Association of American Publishers Honors Awards in a clingy red dress. By the looks of it, O was definitely hitting the gym.
Photo by Stefan Zaklin/Getty Images
August 2004
The year 2004 rang in a new do and a new waist for Oprah. She had no problem strutting her stuff at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Gala. Forget the color black, we give props to Oprah's diet and fitness plan.
Getty Images
Oprah, who has publicly fluctuated with her weight for years and who has been very vocal about being comfortable in the skin she's in, may leave a few puzzled at her agreement to shed the pounds for the magazine's cover.
"She totally welcomed the idea, and she went on a very stringent diet," recounted Wintour. "It was one of our most successful covers ever." But then again, one thing Winfrey is certainly known for -- especially in recent years -- is personal growth. Who knows if she would have gone for Wintour's "gentle suggestion" today.
Comments: (518)
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By: "DimePiece" on 5/19/2009 5:40PM
A general suggestion my AZZ. Oprah was pressured. There was nothin wrong with the weight she had before? That was real ignorant at the time to say that to her. It seems, today's society, people have to look a certain way, be thinner, so that they can be accepted. Oprah should have been fine with her own skin and should have told them to kiss her AZZ. Isn't wonderful, Oprah has her OWN MAG! Oprah doesn't have to worry now, she is on the front and inside covers. HOW U LIKE ME NOW!
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By: Kate on 5/19/2009 8:09PM
Oprah is overweight and unhealthy! She sets a poor role model for other women. And just because Oprah HAD her own magazine (now defunked), that doesn't mean she looks good overweight. For someone who is as rich as Oprah, who can afford personal trainers and has the money to buy healthy food... it's beyond me why she's still fat! Oprah obviously has no will power and she eats for emotional comfort. Maybe if she came out of the closet about her and Gayle, she'd feel better.
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By: Lee on 5/19/2009 8:35PM
Oprah thought she had beat her weight troubles, however, she has hypothroidism which can cause problems with weight loss, I find myself in a similiar situation. So this has nothing to do with Oprah not trying to lose weight at this particular time.
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By: Amy on 5/19/2009 11:29PM
Kate, point one: the word is D-E-F-U-N-C-T. Point two: thyroid problems make up a huge chunk of her weight problem. Now, one of her (idiot) doctors told her that she should just get used to being hungry, because she should starve herself to counteract and over-run any thyroid issues. They used to do that to diabetics, too, before insulin. Back then, if the disease didn't kill you, the starvation diet they put you on did. She should just get used to the weight coming and going at the whims of her thyroid and get on with her life. Everyone who says otherwise needs to get a life of their own and stay out of hers.
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By: STORM on 5/19/2009 11:44PM
What the hell is wrong with the world today?I'll tell you, most of you forgot your bible lessons on not judging another person. Do you have ANY idea how many women and children in this country have eating disorders?? POEPLE ACTUALLY DIE FROM ANOREXIA, AT LEAST THIS WOMAN EATS AND EXERCISES!!!!A LARGE PART OF THE CAUSE OF EATING DISORDERS ARE PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO JUDGE AND TORMENT AND VERBALLY ABUSE INNOCENT PEOPLE BASED SOLEY ON THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN, THE NUMBER ON THE SCALE, OR THE SIZE OF THEIR JEANS...I PITY PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHOSE SELF RESPECT IS OBVIOUSLY SO LOW THAT YOU FIND IT NECCESSARY TO JUDGE AND TORMENT SOMEONE ELSE TO FEEL BETTER ABOUT YOURSELF!!!I HOPE YOU LIKE YOURSELF, BECAUSE YOU ARE PROBABLY THE ONLY PERSON WHO DOES!!!
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By: kim on 5/20/2009 6:56AM
Kate, Seriously no will power. Everyone has their demon. She just concentrates her will power on other things. Maybe you should concentrate some of your will power, as you must have ooodles, on learning empathy, that comes free. Then make yourself a media empire from your lack of will power and then buy yourself some intelligence.
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By: Rita Rizzo on 5/20/2009 7:26AM
What a judgmental, suspicious witch you are! How do you know about the state of Oprah's health? What would you know about being a role model? BTW, her magazine is NOT defunct, you jealous cow!
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By: Nicey on 5/20/2009 7:16AM
To Kate, Don't hate!!!! Appreciate Be glad that she is the type of woman that is able to take a suggestion from another person. At the time, it may have been a good idea for Oprah to lose a couple of pounds (she may have in your mind been too plump,and at that time she may have been for her weight,size and age, but she's still the ONE) What's with everybody needing a role model. Just do YOUR best, be the BEST and MODEL YOURSELF. Grown people shouldn't need role models KIDS do! Who doesn't want to look their best whenever they can. Mind you business about her friendship with Gayle sounds like you wish it was you. What does having money have to do with weight issues. It sounds like you have some personal issues yourself. HATERATION!!! You are a mean person. Half of this country is over something Over weight,Over worked,and Over your comment. Be nicer the next time Kate, you could use a makeover too! YOUR ATTITUDE. Holla
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By: KC on 5/20/2009 8:42AM
It is comments like that which hurt the self esteem of others. Her money does not have anything to do with her weight. She is a role model to many and shows that her battle with her weight goes way beyond her money which brings some comfort to others who have battled with weight for years. I feel sorry for her because of her fame she has to be the target of ignorant comments like yours from people who don't know the whole story.
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By: Avon on 5/20/2009 8:13AM
I tried very hard not to reply to Kate. This news is clearly "old". Kate, could you for one moment look at Oprah's inward person and stop hating? How would you like it if someone took your weakness and ripped at it? We all have at least one.
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