The fashion icon Edward Enninful on Modern Britain: 'Britain Feels Less Tolerant Now' Than We Were Decades Ago.

A chance encounter during a tube journey in 1988 changed forever the path of a young Ghanaian arrival to Britain. Discovered for modeling, Edward Enninful was rapidly ushered into the city's buzzing 1990s artistic milieu, progressing from model to stylist and, by the age of 18, becoming the style editor of the iconic i-D.

"It was the height of the Britart scene – Tracey Emin, Jay Jopling. I met Kate Moss at a casting," he remembers. "Then I met Naomi for a cover, and I knew we’d be kindred spirits. We all mixed across disciplines. Friday rolled into Saturday into Sunday. I long for that spontaneity."

Although Enninful appears sentimental, he is in good company. In recent times, a longing look back of the 1990s has reached fever pitch. But since that time, Enninful perceives a significant change. "I feel, we’re less tolerant now than we were in the 90s," he observes. "It’s not even this country – it’s a global phenomenon."

A Cultural Backslide

This regression is difficult to overlook: the growth of nationalist groups, the backlash against social awareness, and the reassertion of narrow beauty standards. Where once there was the hope of the previous decade, currently a different political force appears as a possible leader. Furthermore, the British flag, once an badge of cultural optimism, has returned as a polarising symbol.

For Enninful, the solution has long been to promote culture in all its diversity. This was the guiding principle behind his landmark issue as editor of British Vogue in 2017, which served as a portrait of modern Britain, showcasing a broad spectrum of influential figures from politics.

"People with a voice should employ it," he says, referring to those publishing choices. "Everyone talks about immigration; I wouldn't be here if Britain were not a welcoming country, if it refused my family a refuge and an education. That’s the Britain I always loved. I believe this period will fade."

The Younger Generation's Awareness

He finds hope in the next generation: "They are far more conscious than we were. They discuss implicit prejudice – I didn't even know what that was."

The beginnings of his career would forge a groundbreaking career characterised by boldness and representation. Enninful broke barriers as the first male, first black man, first openly gay person, and first disabled gay man of colour to assume the editorship at British Vogue. His leadership featured historic front pages showcasing people of diverse backgrounds, plus-sized women, an octogenarian, and people from varied communities. Critically, sales rose.

"Ignoring large portions of the population, it’s more than that you’re excluding people – it’s bad for business," he explains.

Launching a Creative Venture

He has established his new venture EE72 and its flagship publication, 72, his key endeavour since moving on from his previous role. He expresses a desire to continue being a "disruptor".

"I constantly interrogate the status quo. I was raised in a place where the majority was Black – the doctors, the lawyers, the leader. Then we arrived in England, penniless, and I found myself on the margins. I was painfully reserved. My teachers said I’d never amount to anything. Me and my brothers were subject to police stops the suspicion laws … this duality gave me a sense of being on the inside and the outside."

Defying the caricature of industry figures as brash and temperamental, Enninful is calm and exudes calm. His path has involved hardship, including publicly shared periods of mental health and substance use.

He has also faced serious health challenges, having had multiple operations on his eyes, leading to limited vision. "I experienced such a difficult period for two years, away from work, anxious I was going to lose my sight. It’s similar to PTSD; you just live in fear 24/7. I prayed, if this ever ends, I’m just going to embrace every opportunity that I was so afraid to do. I’m not going to confine myself to just being an editor or a fashion person."

Curating a Cultural Era

This determination to be typecast has led him outside the realm that built his career. He is now organising a significant 1990s exhibition at Tate Britain, bringing together work by a group of defining artists and photographers from the era. The show, he says, aims to evoke the decade's artistic collaboration – and spotlight those who lacked adequate attention at the time.

"The establishment didn't always celebrate the truly innovative creators because they lacked the expected background," he observes.

This project itself functions with a different strategy, eschewing traditional advertising in favour of partnership-based projects. "We ask, what can we create collaboratively? Is it an experience, a series? The magazine is one component of a greater ecosystem."

A Testament to Resilience

Currently, Enninful is regarded as one of the world's most powerful cultural influencers. His journey, he feels, is a demonstration to the power of pursuing your passions.

How would the Enninful of that era react to the man he has become? He smiles. "It would be a surprise, but he’d be proud. In those days I was sceptical of institutions. I would not have believed institutions like Tate were within my reach."

He adds. "Nothing is assumed. We lost our home, we fled our country. I almost lost my vision. So there is no room for fear. People have counted me out my whole career. But nothing can stop me once I’ve set my intention to do something."