🔗 Share this article Edward Enninful on Today's Society: 'Britain Feels Less Tolerant Now' Compared to the Nineties. An unexpected discovery during a tube journey in 1988 changed forever the trajectory of a young Ghanaian immigrant to Britain. Scouted as a model, Edward Enninful was swiftly pulled into the city's buzzing 1990s cultural landscape, evolving from model to stylist and, while still a teenager, becoming the style editor of the publication i-D. "That time was the zenith of the YBA movement – Jay Jopling, Tracey Emin. I encountered Kate Moss at a casting," he remembers. "Then Naomi Campbell for a cover, and I felt we’d be close. We all mixed across disciplines. Friday became Saturday into Sunday. I miss that spontaneity." If Enninful sounds nostalgic, he is not the only one. Lately, a longing look back of the 1990s has grown intense. However in the intervening decades, Enninful perceives a profound shift. "I believe, we’re less tolerant now than we were in the 90s," he observes. "The issue extends beyond this country – it’s everywhere." Shifting Attitudes This regression is hard to ignore: the rise of nationalist groups, the backlash against so-called "wokeness", and the reinforcement of traditional beauty standards. Where once there was the hope of the Blair era, currently a different political figure appears as a potential leader. Even, the British flag, once an symbol of national pride, has become contentious again. According to Enninful, the response has consistently been to champion culture in all its variety. This was the core philosophy behind his seminal issue as editor of British Vogue in 2017, which served as a celebration of modern Britain, featuring a wide range of prominent faces from art. "Those in a position of influence should use it," he says, referring to those publishing choices. "Everyone talks about immigration; I wouldn't be here if Britain hadn't been a lenient country, if it refused my family a home and an opportunity. That’s the Britain I believed in. I trust this phase will end." The Younger Generation's Awareness He draws solace in the youth of today: "They are far more conscious than we were. They discuss systemic issues – I didn't even know what that was." The beginnings of his career would shape a groundbreaking career built on fearlessness and representation. Enninful broke barriers as the first male, first black man, first gay man, and first disabled Black gay man to lead at British Vogue. His leadership featured landmark covers showcasing people of diverse backgrounds, plus-sized women, older individuals, and people from varied communities. Significantly, sales rose. "When you ignore vast segments of the population, it’s more than that you’re excluding people – it’s bad for business," he explains. Beyond the Magazine World He has established his agency EE72 and its accompanying magazine, 72, his premier initiative since departing his previous role. He says he wants to continue being a "change-maker". "My nature is to challenge the conventional wisdom. I was brought up in a place where everybody was black – the physicians, the lawyers, the leader. Then we came to England, without funds, and I found myself on the margins. I was incredibly timid. My teachers declared I’d never amount to anything. Me and my brothers were harassed under the Sus laws … all that gave me a sense of being on the inside and the outside." In contrast to the stereotype of fashion editors as loud and temperamental, Enninful is calm and radiates serenity. His path has included its share of adversity, including publicly shared periods of depression and addiction. He has also endured serious health challenges, having had multiple operations on his eyes, resulting in limited vision. "I experienced such a time of fear for two years, not working, fearing I was going to lose my sight. It’s like PTSD; you just live in fear 24/7. I thought, if this ever passes, I’m just going to embrace every opportunity that I was so afraid to do. I’m not going to limit myself to just being an editor or a fashion person." The Tate Britain Exhibition This determination to fit into a box has led him outside the industry that built his career. He is now putting together a significant 1990s exhibition at Tate Britain, featuring work by a host of pivotal artists and photographers from the era. The show, he says, aims to evoke the decade's interdisciplinary energy – and give platform to those who weren't given adequate attention at the time. "Galleries often failed to celebrate the right artists because they weren't of the right pedigree," he observes. The magazine 72 itself uses a different business model, rejecting traditional advertising in favour of partnership-based projects. "We ask, what can we achieve in partnership? Is it an event, a podcast? The magazine is a piece within a larger creative platform." An Unstoppable Drive Currently, Enninful is regarded as one of the world's most respected cultural influencers. His journey, he believes, is a demonstration to the power of defying expectations. How would the younger Edward think of the man he has become? He laughs heartily. "He’d be in shock, but he’d be impressed. At that time I was anti-establishment. I would not have believed institutions like Tate were necessarily for me." He adds. "Nothing is assumed. We lost our home, we left our homeland. I almost lost my vision. So fear isn't an option. People have underestimated me my entire life. But I am unstoppable once I’ve decided to do something."
An unexpected discovery during a tube journey in 1988 changed forever the trajectory of a young Ghanaian immigrant to Britain. Scouted as a model, Edward Enninful was swiftly pulled into the city's buzzing 1990s cultural landscape, evolving from model to stylist and, while still a teenager, becoming the style editor of the publication i-D. "That time was the zenith of the YBA movement – Jay Jopling, Tracey Emin. I encountered Kate Moss at a casting," he remembers. "Then Naomi Campbell for a cover, and I felt we’d be close. We all mixed across disciplines. Friday became Saturday into Sunday. I miss that spontaneity." If Enninful sounds nostalgic, he is not the only one. Lately, a longing look back of the 1990s has grown intense. However in the intervening decades, Enninful perceives a profound shift. "I believe, we’re less tolerant now than we were in the 90s," he observes. "The issue extends beyond this country – it’s everywhere." Shifting Attitudes This regression is hard to ignore: the rise of nationalist groups, the backlash against so-called "wokeness", and the reinforcement of traditional beauty standards. Where once there was the hope of the Blair era, currently a different political figure appears as a potential leader. Even, the British flag, once an symbol of national pride, has become contentious again. According to Enninful, the response has consistently been to champion culture in all its variety. This was the core philosophy behind his seminal issue as editor of British Vogue in 2017, which served as a celebration of modern Britain, featuring a wide range of prominent faces from art. "Those in a position of influence should use it," he says, referring to those publishing choices. "Everyone talks about immigration; I wouldn't be here if Britain hadn't been a lenient country, if it refused my family a home and an opportunity. That’s the Britain I believed in. I trust this phase will end." The Younger Generation's Awareness He draws solace in the youth of today: "They are far more conscious than we were. They discuss systemic issues – I didn't even know what that was." The beginnings of his career would shape a groundbreaking career built on fearlessness and representation. Enninful broke barriers as the first male, first black man, first gay man, and first disabled Black gay man to lead at British Vogue. His leadership featured landmark covers showcasing people of diverse backgrounds, plus-sized women, older individuals, and people from varied communities. Significantly, sales rose. "When you ignore vast segments of the population, it’s more than that you’re excluding people – it’s bad for business," he explains. Beyond the Magazine World He has established his agency EE72 and its accompanying magazine, 72, his premier initiative since departing his previous role. He says he wants to continue being a "change-maker". "My nature is to challenge the conventional wisdom. I was brought up in a place where everybody was black – the physicians, the lawyers, the leader. Then we came to England, without funds, and I found myself on the margins. I was incredibly timid. My teachers declared I’d never amount to anything. Me and my brothers were harassed under the Sus laws … all that gave me a sense of being on the inside and the outside." In contrast to the stereotype of fashion editors as loud and temperamental, Enninful is calm and radiates serenity. His path has included its share of adversity, including publicly shared periods of depression and addiction. He has also endured serious health challenges, having had multiple operations on his eyes, resulting in limited vision. "I experienced such a time of fear for two years, not working, fearing I was going to lose my sight. It’s like PTSD; you just live in fear 24/7. I thought, if this ever passes, I’m just going to embrace every opportunity that I was so afraid to do. I’m not going to limit myself to just being an editor or a fashion person." The Tate Britain Exhibition This determination to fit into a box has led him outside the industry that built his career. He is now putting together a significant 1990s exhibition at Tate Britain, featuring work by a host of pivotal artists and photographers from the era. The show, he says, aims to evoke the decade's interdisciplinary energy – and give platform to those who weren't given adequate attention at the time. "Galleries often failed to celebrate the right artists because they weren't of the right pedigree," he observes. The magazine 72 itself uses a different business model, rejecting traditional advertising in favour of partnership-based projects. "We ask, what can we achieve in partnership? Is it an event, a podcast? The magazine is a piece within a larger creative platform." An Unstoppable Drive Currently, Enninful is regarded as one of the world's most respected cultural influencers. His journey, he believes, is a demonstration to the power of defying expectations. How would the younger Edward think of the man he has become? He laughs heartily. "He’d be in shock, but he’d be impressed. At that time I was anti-establishment. I would not have believed institutions like Tate were necessarily for me." He adds. "Nothing is assumed. We lost our home, we left our homeland. I almost lost my vision. So fear isn't an option. People have underestimated me my entire life. But I am unstoppable once I’ve decided to do something."