British Vogue originated as a spin-off of the American edition (earning the affectionate nickname "Brogue" from its employees) in 1916 in order to counter war-related overseas shipping restrictions that made the further export of Vogue US impossible. Under the guidance of its brilliant editors, Vogue UK has evolved into the iconic fashion magazine we know today.

Following Elspeth Champcommunal (1916-1922), Dorothy Todd (1922-1926), Alison Settle (1926-1934), and Betty Penrose (1935-1939), Audrey Withers was appointed editor-in-chief in 1940. She successfully steered the magazine through the challenging war years, facing continued bombings and severe paper shortages. With her no-nonsense approach, she even made her staff take their typewriters with them during air-raid alarms so that they could continue to work in the basement. After Withers's retirement in 1960 and Alisa Garland's rather short stint as editor-in-chief (she opted to leave Vogue for Woman’s Journal), Beatrix Miller took the reins in 1964.