Anna Wintour Thought Hamish Bowles Had The X Factor

Filed Under: Britney Spears Fashion Smashion Simon Cowell Anna Wintour Vogue Christian Louboutin Thierry Mugler X Factor Philip Treacy

Anna Wintour knows a thing or two about cruel and unusual punishment, just ask Vogue's editor-at-large Hamish Bowles.

A few months ago, Anna took it upon herself to sign him up for the X Factor and let him know via email.

Hamish writes in the October issue:

"I had to read the e-mail from the editor in chief several times to be quite sure. There, buried like a time bomb in a bouquet, was this chilling sentence: 'I have signed you up to compete in The X Factor'."

Hamish really didn't have a choice because as we all know, you don't tell Anna 'no'. In fact, he took it quite seriously.

He started going to vocal coach and therapist Joan Lader and La Wintour kept ensuring him that he can sing. Of course, that was before Anna admitted she's tone deaf.

Ha!

When the Newark auditions came around, Hamish performed under the stage name Leo Mercuré to Britney Spears' Oops I Did It Again wearing a Thierry Mugler gold suit, a Philip Treacy top hat and Christian Louboutin gold crystal shoes.

He didn't make it through, but Anna got a nice story out of it and probably a few laughs.

Tags: audition, hamish bowles, leo mercure, philip treacy, thierry mugler, top hat, us x factor, x factor