Edward Enninful, the editor-in-chief of British Vogue, says that he was “racially profiled” by a security guard at his job who told him to use “the loading bay.”
“Today, I was racially profiled by a security guard whilst entering my work place,” he said. “I was instructed to use the loading bay. Just because our timelines and weekends are returning to normal, we cannot let the world return to how it was. Change needs to happen now.”
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Enninful, 48, has worked in the fashion media industry for three decades. In 2018, the out gay man became British Vogue‘s first male editor.
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On Instagram Enninful said that Condé Nast, which owns British Vogue, “moved quickly to dismiss the security guard.”
“But it just goes to show that sometimes it doesn’t matter what you’ve achieved in the course of your life: the first thing that some people will judge you on is the color of your skin.”
Condé Nast told CNN that the security guard worked for a contractor and has been “placed under investigation by their employer.”
Enninful got support on social media.
“When will this change? Been happening in UK for so long,” wrote model Naomi Campbell. “So sorry you had to go through that!! Don’t let it deter you. Stay STRONG.”
“There’s so much more work to do,” wrote British Vogue deputy editor Gemma Chan. “Sorry this happened to you Edward.”
In 2016 he was recognized by Queen Elizabeth II as an officer of the Order of the British Empire for his work supporting diversity in the fashion industry.
