Edward Enninful Is the First Black Man To Ever Be Editor-in-chief of Any Vogue Magazine

The current fashion/creative director of W Magazine, Edward Enninful, has been declared the new editor-in-chief of British Vogue.

Enninful’s appointment has made history as he is the first black man to ever be the editor-in-chief of any Vogue magazine, and he is the first black man to become the editor any mainstream fashion magazine.

Jonathan Newhouse, the chief executive and international publisher of Vogue’s publishing company Conde Nast stated that Enninful is:

One of the most talented and accomplished editors in the world – an influential figure in the communities of fashion, Hollywood and music which shape the cultural zeitgeist.

Born in Ghana, and later migrating to London, Enninful was filled with a passion for style and expressing his creativity through his seamstress mother.

Mr. Enninful’s pathway to fashion industry icon status begins with him being scouted as a model at the age of 16 and subsequently becoming the style director of i-D magazine (where he remained for two decades). Before arriving at W, Enninful acted as a contributing editor to both Italian and American Vogue. Specifically, some of Italian Vogue’s most impactful releases such as “The Black Issue”, “Makeover Madness”, and “The Curvy Issue” were created as a collaboration between the late and former editor of Italian Vogue, Franca Sozzani, and Enninful. Subsequently, Enninful was awarded an OBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) for his accomplishments, and attributions to diversity in the fashion industry of the 21st century.

Several of W’s most contentious editorials were crafted under Enninful, such as W’s 2012 cover that featured Kate Moss as a nun, and another cover featuring Nicki Minaj as 18th-century French courtesan (prostitute).

Enninful will replace Alexandra Shulman (who has also received an OBE) who has acted as the editor-in-chief of British Vogue since 1992.