🔗 Share this article The fashion icon Edward Enninful reflects on Modern Britain: 'We Are Less Tolerant Now' Than in the 90s. An unexpected discovery on the London Underground in 1988 altered the course of a young Ghanaian arrival to Britain. Spotted by a talent scout, Edward Enninful was swiftly pulled into the capital's vibrant 1990s artistic milieu, moving from mannequin to stylist and, while still a teenager, becoming the style editor of i-D magazine. "It was the height of the Britart scene – Jay Jopling, Tracey Emin. I encountered Kate Moss at a casting," he states. "Then Naomi Campbell for a cover, and I understood we’d be great friends. We all socialised across disciplines. Friday became Saturday into Sunday. I long for that rawness." While Enninful may seem wistful, he is far from alone. Recently, a fond idealisation of the 1990s has reached fever pitch. But in the intervening decades, Enninful believes a significant change. "In my view, we’re more divided now than we were in the 90s," he observes. "It’s not even this country – it’s a global phenomenon." A Perceived Regression This regression is difficult to overlook: the growth of nationalist groups, the backlash against so-called "wokeness", and the reinforcement of traditional beauty standards. Replacing the optimism of the late 90s, currently a more divisive political personality looms as a possible leader. Even, the Union Jack, once an symbol of Cool Britannia, has sparked debate once more. In Enninful's view, the solution has long been to champion culture in all its variety. This was the driving force behind his seminal issue as editor of British Vogue in 2017, which served as a portrait of modern Britain, showcasing a broad spectrum of cultural icons from literature. "Those in a position of influence should wield it," he comments, explaining those publishing choices. "There is much discussion about immigration; I wouldn't be here if Britain was not a welcoming country, if it hadn't given my family a refuge and an education. That’s the Britain I believed in. I believe this phase will end." A New Wave of Consciousness He takes comfort in the next generation: "They are far more conscious than we were. They analyse implicit prejudice – I was not even aware what that was." Those early experiences would define a trailblazing career characterised by boldness and diversity. Enninful broke barriers as the first man, first black man, first gay man, and first disabled Black gay man to lead at British Vogue. His time featured historic front pages showcasing people of diverse backgrounds, curvy models, an octogenarian, and people from varied communities. Significantly, sales increased. "To overlook vast segments of the population, it’s more than that you’re failing to represent – it’s a poor strategy," he emphasises. Launching a Creative Venture He has established his new venture EE72 and its flagship publication, 72, his premier initiative since moving on from his previous role. He expresses a desire to continue being a "change-maker". "I’ve always questioned the status quo. I was raised in a place where Black professionals were the norm – the physicians, the attorneys, the president. Then we came to England, penniless, and I was a minority. I was incredibly timid. My teachers predicted I’d have no future. Me and my brothers were harassed under the Sus laws … this duality gave me a dual identity between worlds." Defying the popular image of industry figures as brash and highly strung, Enninful is calm and exudes calm. His journey has included its share of hardship, including publicly shared periods of mental health and substance use. He has also endured serious health challenges, having had multiple operations on his eyes, resulting in impaired eyesight. "I endured such a difficult period for two years, not working, anxious I was going to go blind. It’s comparable to PTSD; you just live in fear 24/7. I prayed, if this ever is over, I’m just going to do everything that I was so fearful to do. I’m not going to confine myself to just being an editor or a fashion person." The Tate Britain Exhibition This refusal to be typecast has led him beyond the realm that built his career. He is now putting together a major 1990s exhibition at Tate Britain, showcasing work by a roster of influential artists and photographers from the era. The show, he notes, aims to explore the decade's creative cross-pollination – and give platform to those who did not receive due recognition at the time. "Galleries didn't always promote the right artists because they did not have the right pedigree," he states. The magazine 72 itself uses a novel business model, forgoing traditional advertising in favour of creative collaborations. "The question is, what can we do together? Is it an experience, a podcast? The magazine is a piece within a greater ecosystem." A Testament to Resilience Today, Enninful stands as one of the world's most influential cultural influencers. His path, he states, is a demonstration to the power of defying expectations. How would the Enninful of that era react to the his current self? He laughs heartily. "He’d be in shock, but he’d be proud. Back then I was anti-establishment. I didn't think institutions like Tate were necessarily for me." He reflects. "Nothing is assumed. We lost our home, we left our homeland. I nearly lost my vision. So fear isn't an option. People have counted me out my entire life. But I am unstoppable once I’ve made up my mind to do something."
An unexpected discovery on the London Underground in 1988 altered the course of a young Ghanaian arrival to Britain. Spotted by a talent scout, Edward Enninful was swiftly pulled into the capital's vibrant 1990s artistic milieu, moving from mannequin to stylist and, while still a teenager, becoming the style editor of i-D magazine. "It was the height of the Britart scene – Jay Jopling, Tracey Emin. I encountered Kate Moss at a casting," he states. "Then Naomi Campbell for a cover, and I understood we’d be great friends. We all socialised across disciplines. Friday became Saturday into Sunday. I long for that rawness." While Enninful may seem wistful, he is far from alone. Recently, a fond idealisation of the 1990s has reached fever pitch. But in the intervening decades, Enninful believes a significant change. "In my view, we’re more divided now than we were in the 90s," he observes. "It’s not even this country – it’s a global phenomenon." A Perceived Regression This regression is difficult to overlook: the growth of nationalist groups, the backlash against so-called "wokeness", and the reinforcement of traditional beauty standards. Replacing the optimism of the late 90s, currently a more divisive political personality looms as a possible leader. Even, the Union Jack, once an symbol of Cool Britannia, has sparked debate once more. In Enninful's view, the solution has long been to champion culture in all its variety. This was the driving force behind his seminal issue as editor of British Vogue in 2017, which served as a portrait of modern Britain, showcasing a broad spectrum of cultural icons from literature. "Those in a position of influence should wield it," he comments, explaining those publishing choices. "There is much discussion about immigration; I wouldn't be here if Britain was not a welcoming country, if it hadn't given my family a refuge and an education. That’s the Britain I believed in. I believe this phase will end." A New Wave of Consciousness He takes comfort in the next generation: "They are far more conscious than we were. They analyse implicit prejudice – I was not even aware what that was." Those early experiences would define a trailblazing career characterised by boldness and diversity. Enninful broke barriers as the first man, first black man, first gay man, and first disabled Black gay man to lead at British Vogue. His time featured historic front pages showcasing people of diverse backgrounds, curvy models, an octogenarian, and people from varied communities. Significantly, sales increased. "To overlook vast segments of the population, it’s more than that you’re failing to represent – it’s a poor strategy," he emphasises. Launching a Creative Venture He has established his new venture EE72 and its flagship publication, 72, his premier initiative since moving on from his previous role. He expresses a desire to continue being a "change-maker". "I’ve always questioned the status quo. I was raised in a place where Black professionals were the norm – the physicians, the attorneys, the president. Then we came to England, penniless, and I was a minority. I was incredibly timid. My teachers predicted I’d have no future. Me and my brothers were harassed under the Sus laws … this duality gave me a dual identity between worlds." Defying the popular image of industry figures as brash and highly strung, Enninful is calm and exudes calm. His journey has included its share of hardship, including publicly shared periods of mental health and substance use. He has also endured serious health challenges, having had multiple operations on his eyes, resulting in impaired eyesight. "I endured such a difficult period for two years, not working, anxious I was going to go blind. It’s comparable to PTSD; you just live in fear 24/7. I prayed, if this ever is over, I’m just going to do everything that I was so fearful to do. I’m not going to confine myself to just being an editor or a fashion person." The Tate Britain Exhibition This refusal to be typecast has led him beyond the realm that built his career. He is now putting together a major 1990s exhibition at Tate Britain, showcasing work by a roster of influential artists and photographers from the era. The show, he notes, aims to explore the decade's creative cross-pollination – and give platform to those who did not receive due recognition at the time. "Galleries didn't always promote the right artists because they did not have the right pedigree," he states. The magazine 72 itself uses a novel business model, forgoing traditional advertising in favour of creative collaborations. "The question is, what can we do together? Is it an experience, a podcast? The magazine is a piece within a greater ecosystem." A Testament to Resilience Today, Enninful stands as one of the world's most influential cultural influencers. His path, he states, is a demonstration to the power of defying expectations. How would the Enninful of that era react to the his current self? He laughs heartily. "He’d be in shock, but he’d be proud. Back then I was anti-establishment. I didn't think institutions like Tate were necessarily for me." He reflects. "Nothing is assumed. We lost our home, we left our homeland. I nearly lost my vision. So fear isn't an option. People have counted me out my entire life. But I am unstoppable once I’ve made up my mind to do something."