It is the most craved job in the fashion industry. After six years of Edward Enninful leaving his mark in Vogue through his creative contributions, he says farewell. It has been announced that he will be stepping down from the role as Editor-In-Chief- or rather ‘stepping up’. Edward has recently been promoted as the Global Creative and Cultural advisor at Vogue, with Chioma Nnadi as his replacement.
His last front cover as editor, presented 40 models and celebrities who had previously been featured in the magazine, whilst Enninful had control of the magazine. His last issue as editor was available on newsstands in February 2024.
His memo read, “I am excited to share that from next year I will be stepping into the newly appointed position of editorial advisor of British Vogue and global creative and cultural advisor of Vogue, where I will continue to contribute to the creative and cultural success of the Vogue brand globally while having the freedom to take on broader creative projects.”
Magazine Journalist, Emily Payne, comments on his departure. "Edward Enninful's time as editor was revolutionary. He completely modernised and shaped the future for Vogue." Edward Enninful has grown up in the fashion world- he became fashion director of I-D magazine at the age of 18. Enninful then became fashion director at W magazine, before making the decision to replace Alexandra Shulman as editor of British vogue. Furthermore, in late 2020, he was promoted as the European editorial director of Vogue, overseeing the Italy, France, Spain, and Germany edition, in addition to the UK’s.
During his six years at Vogue, he has successfully diversified the pages of vogue, and his drive to keep pushing forward remains immense. In 2022 not only did he dedicate himself wholeheartedly to Vogue, but he also wrote a memoir of his life titled “Edward Enninful, A Visible Man”.
Reflecting on his upbringing, his readers are able to understand where his work ethic stems from. He wrote, “coming from an African family as I did, where your work is so connected to your self-worth, it seemed normal to me that this new life I was building revolved entirely around the job.”
Enninful has made considerable changes the fashion industry and was awarded an OBE for his services to diversity in fashion in 2016, where he has said that diversity should be a “continuous Conversation”. He has strived to bring his envision of a diversified Vogue to reality. When Enninful was assigned the role in 2017, he was the first man and first black person to hold the title. Since then, the firsts for Vogue did not stop there when Enninful entered the magazine.
In 2018, he launched an issue dedicated to the 100th year since women gained the right to vote- controversially choosing to include the first trans person in this issue, Paris Lees. The following year marked another milestone for Enninful when he selected actor Laverne Cox, as the first trans cover star. Additionally, in 2023, Edward made a ground-breaking choice by featuring Timothée Chalamet as British Vogue’s first ever male cover star and showcasing disabled models in the publication. The actions of Enninful significantly transformed the landscape of British Vogue. In Edward’s own words he said, “My 'Vogue' is about being inclusive; it's about diversity. Showing different women, different body shapes, different races, class. To be tackling gender.”
Enninful didn't just address diversity in race, sexuality, disabilities, and gender; he also highlighted women with naturally curvier bodies in Vogue's spotlight. As a fashion pioneer, Edward used his influence to showcase plus-sized models on the front cover, challenging the impossible beauty standards in the industry. He dubbed them "The new Supers," transforming Vogue's outdated beauty norms and allowing readers to see themselves represented in the magazine.
Under Enninful’s leadership, Vogue has transformed into a platform for activism, addressing racial inequality and LGBTQ+ rights. He empowered marginalised voices by embracing inclusive discussions within the fashion industry. His legacy extends beyond the magazine, influencing a cultural shift towards greater acceptance and appreciation of diversity in fashion.
His impact on fashion is profound, leaving a mark which will remain difficult to erase and will continue under his new job title at Vogue.
