Edward Enninful is the recipient of the GAY TIMES Honour for Fashion Icon.
The outgoing Editor-in-Chief of British Vogue and European Editorial Director has firmly established himself as a disruptor in the industry. From his inaugural appointment as Fashion Director of i-D at the age of 19, he has continued to challenge societal norms and redefine our understanding of beauty ideals.
Enninful has pioneered a new look in the industry that represents a true version of diversity and, through the pages of British Vogue, “promote[d] cultural conversations” that hold a diagnostic magnifying glass up to the definition of our understanding of Britishness in the 21st century.
“Inclusion and diversity inspires me,” he told GAY TIMES. “I want people to feel represented in my work.”
This was no more evident than in the May issue of British Vogue that featured a range of disabled cover stars: “To get feedback from the public – from parents of Disabled children, from people who had never thought to pick up a copy of Vogue, who said that they feel seen. That in itself is so important.”
The Ghanaian-born fashion journalist made history as the first Black person and first man to take the helm of the fashion juggernaut in 2017. In his first year, digital traffic at the title grew by 7.8 percent and to 14.8 million monthly unique users, while print circulation has increased 1.1 percent since 2017.
Throughout his tenureship, Enninful has continued to advocate and represent the LGBTQIA+ community on the pages of mass media. In 2022, he published a Vogue issue to mark 50 years of London’s Pride Festival, saying: “Let me be clear: at Vogue we want to celebrate this community, to thank and to listen to them.”
Across his acclaimed career, Enninful has won a string of awards including Fashion Creator of the Year by the British Fashion Council, while he was honoured with an OBE in 2016 for his Services to Diversity in the fashion industry.
GAY TIMES Honours 2023 celebrates the individuals and organisations who have had a profound effect on the lives of LGBTQIA+ people over the past 12 months.
This year’s line-up of Honourees acknowledges people making huge impact in music, TV, film, community and drag.
The new digital edition of GAY TIMES Magazine spotlights this year’s winners and is available to read now on the GAY TIMES app, Apple News +, Readly and Flipster.
To follow all of the action from GAY TIMES Honours 2023, check out our Instagram @GAYTIMES.
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