Edward Enninful, the editor-in-chief of British Vogue, claims he cannot hail a cab because taxi drivers refuse to stop for him owing to his skin color.
Enninful, whose renowned acquaintances include Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell, says he must still ask his non-black assistant to hail a car for him.
The clothes designer from Ghana is no stranger to allegations of racial stereotyping.
Enninful’s Mayfair office security officer was fired in 2020 for denying him access to Vogue House.
To add insult to injury, the security guard instructed him to use the tradesmen’s door in the building’s rear.
Enninful, who turned 50 in February, disclosed this week that he had spent 14 years in Alcoholics Anonymous and that he had been alienated from his father for 15 years.
The editor, who married his long-term boyfriend Alec Maxwell earlier this year and will release his memoirs on Tuesday, also revealed a dread of losing his vision after undergoing four eye surgeries in the past several years.
British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful (seen on Sunday) claims he cannot catch a cab because taxi drivers refuse to stop for him because of his skin color.
Enninful has claimed that taxi drivers profile him based on his race, causing him to have his aide hail taxis on his behalf.
“My assistant still needs to hail a taxi despite my status,” he added while promoting his memoir A Visible Man at the BFI Southbank in London.
“I am a black man in the world; this has happened before, and it will happen again.”
Enninful disclosed in 2020 that he was a victim of “race profiling” at his own office.
The editor asserted that he was denied access to Vogue House in Mayfair by a security guard who failed to recognize him.
He later confirmed that Conde Nast, the magazine powerhouse that owns Vogue, fired the security man immediately.
At the promotional event, which was followed by a party at Claridge’s, Enninful remarked, “When these occurrences occurred, I realized: do not forget who you are, do not forget where you’re from, and do not assume you’re so incredible that these things won’t affect you.”
There was speculation that the Duchess of Sussex would attend, but her absence was conspicuous. Meghan guest-edited the September 2019 issue of Vogue.
Enninful, shown with Michaela Coel on Sunday while promoting his forthcoming biography, says he still needs to ask his non-black assistant to flag down a car for him.
Enninful, who was born in Ghana but raised in West London, was appointed the first non-white editor of Vogue in 2017.
His appointment sparked a major exodus of workers, including deputy editor Emily Sheffield, daughter of a baronet and sister-in-law of David Cameron, who was passed over for the top post.
After succeeding Alexandra Shulman in 2017, the former stylist reportedly stated that his top aim was to “get rid of the posh girls.”
Currently, he adds of Shulman, ‘She symbolized a different era.’ In 25 years, there had only been twelve colored front cover models.
I simply thought, “Let me introduce a new world, let’s make a magazine in which everyone may see themselves.”
Prior to the release of his memoir, Enninful discussed his life’s hardships, including his struggle with alcoholism and the four eye surgeries he underwent in recent years.
He added that, among other concerns, detachment of the retina prompted him to undergo the surgeries; during the recuperation period, he was forced to live in the dark and stare at the floor for several weeks.
Edward also addressed rumors that he may succeed Anna Wintour as editor of American Vogue, who has held the position since 1988.
He described the rehabilitation as “psychologically intensive” and added that he had always had vision problems.
Last week, he told Amol Rajan of the BBC, “I’ve also realized that you don’t need immaculate vision to create.” To see images, 20/20 vision is not required.
Thus, the irony is that despite my poor eyesight, I am still able to produce visuals that resonate with people.
In addition to vision problems, Enninful suffers from the painful blood ailment thalassaemia, which flares up frequently.
As a child living in Ghana, he required multiple blood transfusions before migrating to the United Kingdom at age 13 due to political upheaval in the country.
His mother, who had operated a tailoring business, decided to remain in Ghana for a time when little Enninful, his father, and five siblings relocated to his aunt’s home in Vauxhall, south London.
The father of Enninful, a former member of the Ghanaian military, spent three years seeking asylum in the United Kingdom.
Enninful was discovered on public transportation at the age of 16 by stylist Simon Foxton, who told him he might be a model. Enninful then began working with photographers for i-D magazine.
After gaining further experience aiding the magazine’s fashion director Beth Summers, Enninful was asked to assume her post soon before the model’s 18th birthday, making him the youngest fashion director of any worldwide journal.
Enninful had been missing school at the University of Goldsmiths in order to pursue his career, so the position did not come without a cost. When his father discovered this, he kicked him out of the house, and they did not speak again for 15 years.
Edward, who wed his long-term partner Alec Maxwell in February of this year, revealed that he and his father have been apart for 15 years.
A-list friends, including Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, and Victoria Beckham, gathered at Longleat House, the residence of Enninful’s close friend Emma Thynn, the Marchioness of Bath, to witness Edward and video producer Alec wed in an intimate ceremony in the Orangery (above)
During the conversation, Enninful also disclosed that he had experienced periods of depression throughout his life and had participated in the Alcoholics Anonymous program for 14 years, where he claimed to have found ‘fellowship’
The editor stated, “It deteriorated rapidly because, as you may understand, I lost my house in Africa and moved to England.
Then I lost a second residence when I was evicted. Then I entered the LGBT scene believing I had found my people, only to be met with numerous rejections.’
Enninful did find love with his long-term companion, creative director Alex Maxwell, and the couple wed in February of this year.
A-list friends, including Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, and Victoria Beckham, gathered at Longleat House in Wiltshire – the home of Enninful’s close friend Emma Thynn, the Marchioness of Bath – to witness Edward and video producer Alec wed in an intimate ceremony in the Orangery, followed by a night of celebration.
The star-studded wedding occurred on the same day as Enninful’s 50th birthday. He is shown with a small group of his closest friends and family in Laylow in west London (pictured)
Experts estimate that the wedding cost at least £600,000, but Edward may have received favors from friends, such as the use of the historic wedding site, which is believed to have been a wedding present from Emma and her husband, the 8th Marquess of Bath.
The star-studded wedding occurred on the same day as Enninful’s 50th birthday.
After collaborating with Meghan Markle, who guest edited British Vogue in 2019, Edward Enninful dispelled rumors that the Duchess of Sussex had requested publication to be delayed so that the American media could view the issue first.
Nobody, he maintained, interfered with the publication process.
Enninful also addressed rumors as to whether he may succeed fellow Brit Anna Wintour, 72, as editor-in-chief of American Vogue when she ultimately stands down following her 1988 appointment.
He stated that he is “very thrilled” to be the editor-in-chief of British Vogue, but added, “You never know what the future brings.”