Page 22 - Powerlist 2020

The Top 10

6

Edward

Enninful OBE

Editor-in-chief,
British Vogue

nfluential and capable of shaping the cultural zeitgeist, Ladbroke Grove in west London when he was a young child.
king of the UK fashion industry Edward Enninful has His entry into fashion was serendipitous. Aged 16, he was
Itransformed British Vogue into a magazine for the spotted by a modelling scout while travelling on the Tube.
modern era. By the following year, he was working as an assistant to i-D
When he was announced as the editor-in-chief of British fashion director Beth Summers.
Vogue, he became the first man, and the first person of He gained a degree at Goldsmiths University in London
colour, to hold the position in the magazine’s 101-year history. while juggling modelling work and assisting on shoots.
With almost 1million followers on Instagram, Edward has His big break came the day after his 18th birthday, when
been credited with bringing much-needed diversity to the Summers left and he was appointed i-D fashion director – at
British edition of Vogue. the time, the youngest person to be appointed to such a role
He has put Rihanna and Oprah Winfrey on the cover and in at an international publication.
2019 was responsible for the Duchess of Sussex guest editing His reputation continued to grow and in 1998 he became a
the prestigious September issue. Naomi Campbell described contributing editor to Italian Vogue. There he produced the
what Edward had achieved during his time as Vogue editor as ground-breaking Black Issue that featured only black models,
“exceptional”. including Naomi Campbell, Jourdan Dunn and Alek Wek. The
He is listed in the Business of Fashion (BOF) among the issue was so successful that the publisher, Condé Nast, had to
500 most influential people shaping the world’s $2.5trillion print an extra 40,000 copies.
fashion industry. Aside from his bold covers, Edward In 2014, Edward scooped the prestigious Isabella Blow
persuaded showbiz power family the Beckhams to appear Award for Fashion Creator at the British Fashion Awards and
together for the first time in a magazine shoot. Born in Ghana the Clio Excellence in Commercial Styling Award in 2015. He
to a seamstress mother, Edward and his family moved to was awarded an OBE in 2016.

22 Powerlist 2020