British Vogue: Why the new issue is so historic

Edward Enninful's first issue celebrates the 'talented, diverse creatives' of Britain

Model and activist Adwoa Aboah features on the cover of the December issue (British Vogue)

The new editor-in-chief of British Vogue Edward Enninful has been lauded for ushering in a new era of diversity for the historic publication.

A far cry from the fashion bible’s usual spotlight on trends, Mr Enninful's first issue is a nod to powerful players in politics and the arts, featuring Sadiq Khan, Zadie Smith, Naomi Campbell, Skepta and Millie Bobby Brown.

The front cover of the December issue features a retro-styled portrait of British Ghanaian model and activist Adwoa Aboah, taken by Steven Meisel.

Ms Aboah, 25, founded Gurls Talk, an online community for young women to discuss health, mental health, sex and social media.

The issue also features an interview with London mayor Sadiq Khan by Naomi Campbell on institutional racism and diversity in the UK.

As the magazine’s acting online editor states, the issue represents a “new Vogue” - one that celebrates the “talented, diverse creatives” of Great Britain.

In his first editor's letter, Mr Enninful said he was "determined" his first issue of the magazine would be "a real celebration of Britain".

"But what should such a celebration look like in 2017? The time seemed right to redefine what Vogue can mean today. To open it up," he said.

British Vogue underwent a massive shake up in June when former editor Alexandra Shulman stepped down from the magazine’s helm after 25 years.

Mr Enninful took his place as the first black male editor of British Vogue, leaving behind his position as fashion and creative director at W Magazine.

The 45-year-old, who was born in Ghana but raised in west London, became the fashion editor for i-D magazine at the age of 18.

His resume includes a stint at Italian Vogue, where he led the magazine’s first “Black Issue" which featured only black models. It sold so successfully that the magazine had to print 60,000 additional copies.

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Enninful said his vision for British Vogue was to make it more “open”.

“My Vogue is about being inclusive,” he said.

“It is about diversity - showing different women, different body shapes, different races, different classes [and] tackling gender.”

Naomi Campbell, a close friend of Mr Enninful who was appointed a contributing editor for the magazine, praised the issue as “iconic” on social media.

“This is an iconic day one we must all remember a day of change in most positive way,” she wrote on Instagram.

Earlier this year, Ms Campbell criticised the lack of diversity at British Vogue under Ms Shulman, posting a photo to Instagram which showed no black editorial staff members.