Edward Enninful talks about his first cover as Vogue editor-in-chief, starring Adwoa Aboah

Edward Enninful has unveiled his first cover as editor-in-chief of British Vogue since he was appointed earlier this year. Starring model and activist Adwoa Aboah, styled by Edward and shot by American photographer Steven Meisel, the December 2017 cover is emblazoned with the cover line “Great Britain” and stylistically harks back to Vogue’s history. It also lists a range of contributors celebrating diverse British talent including Steve McQueen, Sadiq Khan, Zadie Smith, Skepta, Peter Blake, Victoria Beckham, Gwendoline Christie and Zayn Malik. Launching the cover image on Instagram, Edward said the issue was “dedicated to Great Britain and the creatives who represent it at home and abroad”.

Vogue has also released a video interview between Edward and Adwoa, where he discusses his rise to the top of the fashion industry in times when it was far less diverse, and Adwoa’s impact on culture.

“[Gurls Talk] is everything I ever needed when I was at school,” says Adwoa in the film. “I’m past school, I’m past all of that, I got out of those dark holes, but I’ve created something I’ve always wanted. I never would’ve dreamt in a million years that I’d have young girls coming up to me at Glastonbury, the streets of LA, New York, London, and telling me how much Gurls Talk means to them, or how much seeing my picture in a magazine means to them as a woman of colour.”

Edward asks: “How would you describe being black and British in the year 2017?” and her response is: “100% empowering and fabulous. You have it – there’s this knowing and understanding that we’re all in it together.”

Edward continues: “Growing up there were just a few of us, me and probably Naomi Campbell. We knew we wanted to be in this industry, we knew what we had to say and we just did it. Nobody was going to tell me that I didn’t belong in this industry, because there’d been no one like me before. So for me to watch all of you today it’s so incredible. It makes me feel so proud. So glad that for my first ever issue of British Vogue that you were the cover girl.”

The December issue will be available from 10 November 2017.