British Vogue Editor Edward Enninful Declines Ads from Brands for Lacking Diversity

British Vogue Editor Edward Enninful Cover photo: Rex via: British Vogue 

Even as the fashion industry has been making strides when it comes to diversity in marketing, there are still diversity problems within the industry. Even editors such as British Vogue’s editor in chief, Edward Enninful, are aware of this problem and the editor has called the fashion industry out on it.

Enninful received his position in 2017 and has been at the helm for a while now. Recently, he revealed on BBC Radio 4’s Today program that he often has to turn down advertising from fashion brands in his magazine due to them not having enough diversity.

Photo: Arthur Elgort via: British Vogue

On the show, the editor said, “We have turned down so many ads in the past. When I started in 2017, I said we’re going to create a magazine about inclusivity, that features all different races, and I was told ‘inclusivity equals downmarket.’ It wasn’t until the magazine came out and the world received it in such a great way that people became convinced,” he said. “So we had to turn people away who didn’t really share our vision. That’s something we’re not scared of doing. Diversity, inclusivity, it’s all under the same roof, when you shine a light on people who have always been ‘othered’ or seen as outsiders, this has always been a mission of ours at Vogue.”

Photo: Felix Cooper via: British Vogue 

Even despite the risks of not making a profit by turning down these ads, Enninful is willing to take the risk because he is passionate about diversity within marketing and his magazine. He has a mission to fully promote diversity and inclusion within fashion and he is already achieving this goal. Their May 2023 issue features 19 disabled personalities from various industries with the title ‘Reframing Fashion.’

Sinead Burke for British Vogue’s May 2023 Photo: Adama Jalloh via: British Vogue   

This issue aims to highlight the disability experience within various species and industries. This issue is personal for Enninful as he has hearing problems, seeing problems and a blood disorder. He said, “I can begin to imagine how the everyday world can feel hostile and inaccessible to the needs of the individual. Disability should feel personal to us all,” he said. “Some 16 million people in the UK are Disabled, with millions more Disabled-adjacent, whether visibly or invisibly. The time has come for us to get real about who we are as a society, and for fashion to build a better, more accessible and inclusive industry.”

Ellie Goldstein in British Vogue’s May 2023 Photo: Adama Jalloh via: British Vogue   

As a member of the leaders in the fashion industry, British Vogue has a lot of power within the industry. To have someone that is the editor in chief of the major magazine condemn the fashion industry for its diversity issues speaks volumes. His push for inclusion is important because he can set the tone for the rest of the industry. Hopefully, in the future, more editors or giants within the fashion industry will speak up on the industry’s problems so changes can be made.