Edward Enninful to exit British Vogue, taking on global advisory role

By

Godfrey Deeny

Published
Jun 3, 2023

And another one bites the dust. Edward Enninful is to exit British Vogue the magazine has made known, making him the latest editor-in-chief of a Vogue in the past several years to exit their position.

 
Instead, he will transition to a new “global advisory role,” allowing him to have “the freedom to take on broader creative projects,” according to a memo Enninful sent to staff at the London-based publication.
 
Enninful is already moving ahead. The news comes 12 days before Enninful, the first black editor ever to helm a Vogue, will style a major fashion spectacle in Florence during Pitti, entitled Runway Icons, backed by the city’s leading boutique and e-tailer Luisa via Roma.

Tellingly, news of his departure was first revealed in Vogue Business, the official house organ of Condé Nast, the once great magazine empire based in New York that controls Vogue, Vanity Fair, Glamour, GQ, House & Garden and other titles.
 
Enninful was named editor-in-chief of British Vogue back in 2017, going on to win plaudits for his switch in visual direction, though less so for the written content. Even though some media resources have been interpreting the move as a promotion, most people will see it as Enninful being diplomatically moved aside.
 
His appointment came during a period of unprecedented bloodletting at Condé Nast, which saw the group dismiss the editors-in-chief of Vogue in China, France, Germany, Italy and Spain and then never replace them. Instead, a new title was created of head of editorial content and given to a series of junior editors – all reporting directly to Anna Wintour – to helm their respective magazines.
 
From today, the only editors in chief any more at Vogue – apart from Wintour - are those at Vogues which are published under license, like the successful Vogue Arabia.
 
In what was in effect a massive cost-cutting exercise, British Vogue was the only major title to escape the downsizing, as Enninful retained the title of editor-in-chief. Albeit reporting to Wintour, global chief content officer for Condé Nast and editor in chief of American Vogue. Edward will continue to report to Anna in future.
 
In effect, Enninful’s other role beside editing British Vogue was to manage cost reductions at Condé Nast in Europe, where the same features and fashion shoots suddenly began appearing in multiple Vogues, even if translated into local languages.
 
Even more noticeable, Enninful will not be succeeded by another editor-in-chief but will instead assist in the search for a head of editorial content at British Vogue.