British Vogue unveils first cover since Edward Enninful’s departure

Musician FKA Twigs was photographed in central London landmarks for Chioma Nnadi’s inaugural issue

FKA Twigs covers British Vogue’s April issue, Chioma Nnadi’s first edition as editorial leader (Johnny Dufort / Vogue)

British Vogue has unveiled its first issue under its new editorial leader Chioma Nnadi, with FKA Twigs starring on the cover.

Shot by first-time BritishVogue contributor Johnny Dufort, the cover sees musician, dancer and model Twigs posing while mounting a black cab wearing a buttercream-coloured Loewe dress, topped with a bib and oversized pin on her chest.

It is the magazine’s first issue since Edward Enninful, who was Vogue’s Editor-in-Chief for six-and-a-half years, stepped down from his role and moved into a wider role as Conde Nast’s global creative and cultural advisor.

When Enninful announced his departure, there was an avalanche of rumours that suggested that Enninful and Anna Wintour – Editor-In-Chief of American Vogue and the chief content officer of Condé Nast – were feuding.

Writing in The Mail Plus at the time, ex-British Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman claimed that despite Enninful’s “international influence”, he was “ultimately always playing second fiddle to Anna Wintour” within the company.

FKA Twigs wearing Loewe on the cover of British Vogue (Johnny Dufort / Vogue)

It was then announced that Nnadi, formerly editor of vogue.com, would be stepping into Enninful’s shoes.

Nnadi swapped her New York for her hometown of London to take on the new role. She said in her Editor’s Letter that she wanted her inaugural edition at the helm of the magazine to star “someone who defined that inimitable spirit”.

Musician FKA Twigs was chosen to cover Nnadi’s inaugural issue (Johnny Dufort / Vogue)

“Luckily for me, it was an easy choice,” she wrote of the “Cellophane” singer.

“FKA Twigs is an artist who represents the ideal of the modern British eccentric: she is a shape-shifter who rejects conformity and takes real joy in clothes.”

“She reminded me that [fashion] isn’t just about the runway – it exists and can be found in so many different places, be it at a rave or in our home lives.”

In the feature, Twigs mounts a lamp post in central London, poses in a red telephone box and on an escalator at a London underground station.

The magazine’s publisher Condé Nast has recorded British Vogue’s highest ever print revenue for an April issue.

British Vogue editorial lead Chioma Nnadi and musician FKA Twigs (Johnny Dufort / Vogue)

When Enninful joined Vogue in 2017, he chose model Adwoa Aboah as the cover star. In the 1960s-inspired image photographed by Stephen Meisel, the model wore a silk headwrap from Marc Jacobs’s Spring 2018 collection, as well as a thick coating of shimmery peacock blue eyeshadow.

Enninful became the first black gay man to edit the magazine in 2017 and was widely credited with making the magazine more diverse and inclusive, and for reimagining what it means to be a British Vogue cover star.

For his final issue featured 40 iconic women from across music, TV, film and fashion, including Miley Cyrus, Jane Fonda and Maya Jama.

Oprah Winfrey sat at the centre of the picture, alongside Tennis player Serena Williams and former Spice Girl turned fashion designer Victoria Beckham.

The April issue of British Vogue is available via digital download and on newsstands from Tuesday 19 March.