NEW YORK, May 24, 2003/ FW/ --- Anna Wintour could have been paraphrasing Charles Dickens 'A Tale of Two Cities,' on her graduation address to the Class of 2003 of the Fashion Instititute of Technology.

Without really saying, "it is the worst of times, it is the best of times," the Vogue ediatrix told the graduates that "Although there may not be a hiring frenzy out there at this moment, there have, historically speaking, never been more opportunities for those who are determined and creative."

Refering to a generally anemic U.S. economy, Anna Wintour did not mince words in saying that "landing the plum fashion design job that a new graduate has long dreamed of," might be hard.

Yet, she encouraged all of the 2,600 soon-to-be FIT alumni by saying "with resourcefulness and self-belief and above all flexibility, you will succeed in the end."

To prove her point, Anna named Candy Pratts Price, Rebecca Moses and Michael Kors, all FIT graduates as examples of those who through their resourcefulness, creativity and belief in what they are doing, became very sucessful in their chosen career.

But Anna did not really have to give others the limelight. She, herself is a prime example of someone who had a vision, believed in it and followed it.

"I didn't go to fashion school. I didn't go to college," Anna said in the beginning of her speech.

"When I was your age, and living in London, the fashion business was nothing as professional as it is today. I started off as the most junior of junior editors at Harper's & Queen."

That alone is inspiration enough for the graduates! From the 'most junior of junior editors' to Editor-in-Chief of U.S. Vogue, is a very long journey. It looks like Anna followed her own advise a long time ago.

The Vogue ediatrix went on and gave the Class of 2003 a little history lesson on fashion.

"This was at a time when fashion magazines were widely regarded by one's mothers as finishing schools for girls of a certain background and a certain name. One had fun there, but one merely dabbled in the business in anticipation of marriage and, all being well, a large house somewhere in the English countryside," related Anna about the era she grew up in.

"...Interest in fashion was limited to a very small section of society. People with money and time on their hands wore fashion; everyone else wore clothes. At that time, fashion wasn't streetwear, and it wasn't workwear; it was something you might encounter at a party or on special occasion."

"When I went to Rome for the couture -- back then, couture was shown both in Paris and Rome -- the shows were black-tie affairs, held in the evening in Palazzos. There were no celebrities and no paparazzi."

According to Anna, fashion during that time was "a narrow, self-regarding cocoon. If a designer was famous, it was only in a small, elitist way."

"Nowadays, someone like Calvin is a world-famous artist whose name operates as a huge cultural force. The same could not be said for Charles James, a world-class designer who was extremely influential to fashion but labored in obscurity at the Chelsea Hotel."

And Anna saved the best for last, describing to the young graduates the many opportunities that lay before them and how others who preceeded them found their way to success. Her message, "Start with clarity and purpose and flair."

In closing, she paid homage to Calvin Klein, who was receiving an Honorary Doctorate degree from his Alma Mater.

"When I was thinking about what to say to you, I decided to tap the brain of the number 1 FIT graduate I knew. I said to him, What should I say to these students that might actually be of use to them? He said, The most important thing is to have a vision. It doesn't matter what you're doing, just so long as you have a point of view that's entirely your own. Calvin, I couldn't agree more. Congratulations, class of 2003."