The December’s issue of British Vogue powerfully marks the beginning of a new era for the glossy magazine. Cooler, younger and more diverse, British fashion has changed forever.
The change began when Alexandra Shulman announced she was stepping down after twenty-five years at the helm of the magazine. She was the longest-serving editor in the history of Vogue. After her departure, a shake-up began when Frances Bentley, managing director of twenty-four years, announced he was leaving the magazine. Some of the top influencers of Shulman’s rein have gone, making way for the 11th editor in Vogues 101 year history.
In April 2017 Condé Nast announced Edward Enninful as the new editor. A move that marks two firsts for the company; the first male editor and the first black editor.
Some were shocked by his appointment, but his credentials are hard to deny, he had been creative director at W magazine since 2011. This is not his first look into the world of Vogue either, as he completed a contributing editorship at Italian Vogue where he was the creative mind behind the magazines first ever ‘Black Issue’ that only featured influential black models. Over 60,000 additional editions had to be printed- it was that successful.
On August 1st this year he officially took over the magazine, and the December edition was his first opportunity to showcase his vision for what Vogue can become. He instantly demonstrated that the magazine is to become more inclusive, with ethnic diversity and British talent at the forefront.
“I was determined that my first issue of Vogue would be a true celebration of Britain,” he writes in his influential editor’s letter for the first time, “But what should such a celebration look like in 2017? This is a country built on tradition, but – much like fashion – one that is forever changing. The time seemed right to redefine what Vogue can mean today.”
His first cover features the British mixed race model and activist Adowa Aboah, with the tagline ‘Great Britain’ being emphasized by contributors such as Naomi Campbell, Steve McQueen, Skepta, Zayn Malik and Sadiq Khan. No longer is Vogue a safe, borderline boring magazine, it will begin to push boundaries and re-construct what does British fashion mean today.
The change is welcomed, as even Lucinda Chambers, who claims she was fired from the company after thirty-six years, admitted that she had not read Vogue for years because the clothes were ‘irrelevant’ and ‘ridiculously expensive’.
I have bought Enniful’s first edition, the first time I have bought the magazine in over four years, and I instantly noticed the change. The new section of ‘Love Letters to Britain’ celebrates everything from the NHS to grime music and the weird cohesion of Naomi Campbell and Sadiq Khan discussing London history sparks a fire of triumph while reminding the world that London is an inclusive, diverse, welcoming city and a welcome place for Vogue to redefine itself in the public eye.
It is exciting, it is new and most importantly- it is refreshing! It’s a welcome reminder that change is good. I love it.