British Vogue has surprised the fashion world by appointing a man, Edward Enninful, as its new editor.
The Ghanaian-born former model and stylist – who is currently creative and fashion director of W magazine – will take over from Alexandra Shulman in August, Vogue confirmed on Monday.
Enninful, 45, is the first non-white man to edit a mainstream women’s fashion magazine. He grew up in west London as one of six children and learned his love of fashion from his mother, a seamstress.
Enninful went on to work as a contributing editor at Italian Vogue and later American Vogue, before joining W in 2011. He was awarded an OBE in 2016 for services to fashion.
Announcing the appointment, Condé Nast, publisher of Vogue, called Enninful “an influential figure in the communities of fashion, Hollywood and music which shape the cultural zeitgeist”. Chairman Jonathan Newhouse cited his work at Italian Vogue in particular as having attained “landmark status in recent cultural history”.
He added: “By virtue of his talent and experience, Edward Enninful is supremely prepared to assume the responsibility of British Vogue.”
While highly regarded inside the fashion industry, Enninful was not widely tipped for the job – he was named last month as a “surprise outsider” by the London Evening Standard, amid widespread speculation over the appointment.
Shulman announced in January that she was stepping down after more than 25 years as the magazine’s editor-in-chief.
