Edward Enninful has revealed how his ‘moments of recognition’ at the PPA awards have been ‘bittersweet’ after he became the first black person to win Editor of The Year in 40 years.
The Editor-in-chief of British Vogue, 48, won both Editor of The Year and Diversity Initiative of the Year at the Professional Publishers Association (PPA) Awards for the ‘Forces for Change’ edition which was guest-edited by Meghan Markle, 38.
Edward and the Duchess collaborated on September’s special ‘Forces for Change’ edition, which featured a grid of 15 ‘incredible’ women on the cover with articles commissioned by the royal inside.
The fashion guru, who started his career at iD magazine at the age of 18, explained on Instagram that while he’s happy to have received these awards, there is still ‘a lot of work to be done’ to create diversity in the fashion industry.
British Vogue’s Editor-in-Chief Edward Enninful, 48, from London, has revealed how winning the Editor of the Year award at the PPAs was ‘bittersweet’
Edward and the Duchess of Sussex, 38, collaborated on September’s special ‘Forces for Change’ edition, which featured a grid of 15 women on the cover (pictured) with articles commissioned by the royal inside
He penned: ‘Having worked in the magazine industry since I was 18 at iD all those years ago, I cannot tell you how much it meant to be names this year’s PPA Consumer Editor of the Year, and for last September’s Issue Forces for Change that I co-edited with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, to be awarded diversity initiative of the year.
‘2020 has been a challenging time for everyone in our industry and I feel truly honoured and thankful to my whole team who made it possible.’
He continued: ‘But, like so many of my black colleagues working in media and fashion, there is often something bittersweet about these moments of recognition.
‘It would be disingenuous of me to point out that I am the first black person to ever win this award – the first black person in 40 years.’
The fashion guru, who started his career at iD magazine at the age of 18, explained on Instagram that while he was happy to have received these awards, there is still ‘a lot of work to be done’
In a lengthy Instagram post, the editor went on to urge media and fashion employers to change the way their workplaces are structured to allow for more diversity
He added: ‘It says an awful lot about where publishing is still at. ‘
The editor went on to urge media and fashion employers to change the way their workplaces are structured to allow for more diversity.
He wrote: ‘The media is good at pivoting on the surface. Diversity is making its way into our commissioning and onto our pages.’
‘But what about inside our work places? Who are we hiring? Who are we nurturing? Who are we promoting? How do our office environments treat people? Who is allowed to get to the top?
The Duchess, pictured in London last year, has said she wanted the issue of Vogue that she guest edited to ‘reflect the world as we see it – beautiful and strong in its diversity’
‘No one wants to wait another 40 years for the next black person to be able to win editor of the year. There is a lot of work to be done.’
The magazine’s September edition – which featured women including model Adwoa Aboah, New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern, actresses Gemma Chan, Laverne Cox, Jane Fonda, Salma Hayek Pinault and Yara Shahidi, activist Greta Thunberg and author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on the cover – was the fastest selling issue in the magazine’s 104-year history, selling out in less then 10 days.
Meghan Markle, who is currently living in Tyler Perry’s $18 million mansion in LA, responded to the magazine’s award last week.
She revealed she had wanted the issue of Vogue that she guest edited to ‘reflect the world as we see it – beautiful and strong in its diversity’.
Meghan’s role as guest editor was one of the most radical in Vogue’s 100 year history, with the September issue the most important edition of the year (pictured, the Duchess at her last official royal engagement in March)
She said: ‘I’m honoured to have this very special issue recognised.
‘Creating Forces for Change with Edward was an opportunity to have the September issue of Vogue reflect the world as we see it – beautiful and strong in its diversity.
‘Huge congratulations to Edward who helped bring this to light, and for his additional honour of being awarded best editor by PPA.’