British Vogue’s first male and black editor LEAVING his role

British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful has announced he is stepping down from his position amid rumors of a split with Anna Wintour.

The 51-year-old, British Vogue’s first male and first black editor, told magazine staff yesterday that he will be taking on a new global role at publisher Conde Nast.

It comes amid rumors that there has been a power struggle between Mr Enninful and Vogue’s editor-in-chief Dame Anna since he took up the position in 2017 – which Vogue has denied.

In an internal email sent yesterday, he said: “I’m delighted to share that, starting next year, I will be taking up the newly appointed position of editorial advisor to British Vogue and global creative and cultural advisor to Vogue.”

Mr Enninful made radical changes to British Vogue and under his control the magazine presented its first transgender cover model.

Mr Enninful (pictured with Meghan), 51, takes on new global role at publisher Conde Nast

He also oversaw the magazine’s first male cover star – Oscar-nominated actor Timothee Chalamet, while disability activist Sinead Burke became the first visibly disabled person on the cover.

But since Mr Enninful took over as editor in 2017, there has been widespread speculation that he would soon replace Dame Anna as Vogue’s overarching editor-in-chief.

Known as ‘Nuclear Wintour’, she has built a reputation as a fearsome and demanding titan of the industry. Insiders at Vogue have described Mr Enninful as the only “real threat” to her power. Rumors circulated that the couple “don’t talk,” with a source telling Femail in 2018, “I don’t think she ever felt he was qualified for that role.

“After all that’s happened, the animosity between them is growing.” Vogue’s publisher Conde Nast has strenuously denied the claims in the past, saying “this is not true.” A spokesperson for Ms Wintour also denied the rumors at the time, saying that Anna was ‘very proud’ of Mr Enninful and ‘likes to have him as a colleague’.

Born in Ghana and raised as a teenager in London, Mr Enninful became the youngest-ever fashion director of an international publication when he was hired by iD magazine at just 18 years old.

He became a contributing fashion editor to American Vogue in 2006 before moving on to Conde Nast’s W magazine in 2011 and finally British Vogue in 2017. continuing his long-standing relationship with Conde Nast, spanning more than 25 years.”

“To maximize my increased global responsibilities and to give British Vogue the new focus it deserves, we saw the opportunity, in coordination with our global editorial structure, to hire a Head of Editorial Content for British Vogue.”

Mr Enninful made radical changes to British Vogue. He hosted his first transgender cover model, actress Laverne Cox, and his first solo male cover star – Oscar-nominated actor Timothee Chalamet.