Wintour goes nuclear over Hillary's snub to 'Vogue'

Who in Hillary Clinton's meticulously crafted campaign could have predicted that the White House pretender would come up against Anna Wintour in her attempt to win the presidency?

But that is exactly what has happened after the Senator snubbed the famously frosty US Vogue editor by backing out of an agreement to be photographed by Annie Leibovitz for the magazine's cover. The change of heart followed fears in the Clinton camp that the presidential candidate would appear "too feminine" if she was plastered across the style bible in designer outfits.

"The notion that a contemporary woman must look mannish in order to be taken seriously as a seeker of power is frankly dismaying," writes Ms Wintour, the inspiration for the book and film The Devil Wears Prada, in her editor's letter in February's Vogue. "This is America, not Saudi Arabia. It's also 2008: Margaret Thatcher may have looked terrific in a blue power suit, but that was 20 years ago. I do think Americans have moved on from the power-suit mentality."

Since rebuffing Vogue the Senator has had something of an epiphany on the femininity front. Her wet eyes and quavering voice in New Hampshire are credited with her surprise victory in the state's primary after female voters lapped up her performance. So perhaps she might like to heed the sartorial advice dished out by Ms Wintour "in a spirit of fashion, feminism and fun".

First is a "demure coat in a delicious plum" by Carolina Herrera. Ms Wintour sees it as an ideal choice for a memorial service on Martin Luther King Jr Day.

Or how about some trouser suits? She could try a white silk number by Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein for campaigning in Florida ahead of its primary next week. Or, for lunch with supporters in South Carolina, a "chocolate-brown ensemble with fuller legs and pretty sleeves by Oscar de la Renta", the Dominican Republic-born designer.

In Ms Wintour's view: "They speak volumes about the confidence, discretion, experience and – yes – femininity of their wearer. And they'd get my vote."

Keep up with the race for the Whitehouse at independent.co.uk/campaign08