Editor-in-chief of British Vogue, Edward Enninful OBE, received recognition for his superb contribution to fashion running Vogue UK and throughout his career.
by Rachel Ogbu
British Vogue Editor-in-chief, Edward Enninful received the Media Award in honour of Eugenia Sheppard at the 2018 CFDA Fashion Awards in New York on Monday.
Accepting the honour, Ghanaian born Enninful first attributed his success to his mother and their shared interest in fashion. After all she was the one who first gave Enninful permission to model in London when he was sixteen. Fast forward three-decades later with a career in fashion. He has made history becoming the first gay black man in a position that has been held for 100 years by a white woman. “My mother loved fashion. And how proud she would be to see that I never stopped dreaming, or working, towards this moment. Growing up in West London, I never knew it was possible to achieve something like this. And I am not done,” he said.
While giving his acceptance speech, Enninful also thanked Oprah Winfrey who presented the award, Diane von Furstenberg and everyone on the Council of Fashion Designers of America, as well as his partner filmmaker and director Alec Maxwell, and Terry and Tricia Jones, the founders of i-D magazine, where Enninful was appointed Fashion Director at just 18. Others on his appreciation list included Condé Nast chairman Jonathan Newhouse and his wife, creative director, Ronnie Cooke Newhouse and everyone he has worked with, before dedicating the award to his close friend and collaborator, the late great Franca Sozzani.
Enninful used the opportunity to drive his vision speak to make the industry a more inclusive. “In a world that is increasingly divided, we must remember: We are more alike than we are different. British Vogue is about being inclusive. It’s not just the colour of your skin but the diversity of perspective. That’s what drives us forward, not back. I have a bold vision of what the future can – and will – look like. Fashion has the opportunity to contribute now more than ever, to a more inclusive, diverse, and tolerant society. I want my work to advocate this change.”
“I want to thank Diane and CFDA, my parents, all of my family, my partner Alec Maxwell, Terry and Tricia Jones, Jonathan and Ronnie Newhouse, and all the talented people I’ve had the pleasure to work with over the years.
This is for you, Franca Sozzani.”
Read more about Enninful’s journey and life in The Times Magazine.
Photo credit: Instagram page