Grace Mirabella, who served as editor-in-chief of American Vogue from 1971 to 1988, has died at the age of 91, according to a statement by Vogue posted to its Instagram account.

”Grace guided Vogue through a momentous time in American history — emancipation, sexual freedom, and vital and hard-won rights for women — and she made that time come alive on the magazine’s pages,” said Anna Wintour, chief content officer and global editorial director of Vogue, in a statement included in the post.

Mirabella was known for championing a style that was elegant yet practical and better suited to the realities than the fantasies of working women. She sought to modernise the magazine, and among the numerous designers she promoted were Calvin Klein, Donna Karan and Geoffrey Beene.

She first arrived at Vogue in 1951, joining the magazine as an assistant in its merchandising department. After moving to the editorial side, she left briefly before returning and ascending to associate editor-in-chief under her predecessor, Diana Vreeland, whose more flamboyant style had defined the title for years. When Vreeland departed in 1971, Mirabella took the helm. In her hands, the magazine’s circulation grew from 400,00 to 1.2 million.

In 1988, Mirabella was abruptly pushed out and Wintour named the new editor-in-chief.

”She always exemplified the best of America in her vision and values, and she changed Vogue in ways which still resonate — and which we are profoundly thankful for — today,” Wintour said.

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