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You don't usually see the names Sheila Bair and Anna Wintour mentioned in the same sentence. Bair, of course, is the supremely powerful chairwoman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Wintour is the supremely powerful editor-in-chief of Vogue. But now the two have collided. And, oh, yes. It is on.

Earlier this week, Jezebel's Jenna Sauers recounted a chat she had recently with a junior editor at Vogue:

This editor told me that she was itching to cover the financial crisis. (Vogue has apparently noticed that there has been a financial crisis.) The only problem, said this editor, was that her magazine's coverage would have to take the form of a profile, and because of Vogue's female audience, the profile would have to be of a woman. What's more, any appropriate profile candidate would need to be attractive.

"I pitched Sheila Bair to the photo department," said this editor, "and they said, 'Are you kidding? We can't shoot her.'"

Okay, sure, Bair is no supermodel. But she isn't exactly Janet Reno either. And Lord knows Vogue's photo department has faced greater challenges in the past and managed to find a way to triumph. Truth be told, the magazine's editors would probably have a tougher time turning Queen Anna herself into a Vogue specimen if she didn't happen to be its editor. Let's all say a little prayer that a Vogue competitor jumps on this missed opportunity and gives Bair the glam makeover she rightfully deserves.

The Real Reason Women's Magazines Suck [Jezebel]
You Gotta Love Sheila Bair [New York Times]