- Edward Enninful was appointed editor-in-chief of the magazine earlier this year
- He is the publication’s first black and first male editor in its 101-year history
- His lack of journalistic experience has led some to question his appointment
Support: Enniful and contributing editor Miss Campbell
Naomi Campbell has hit out at critics of the new Vogue editor, claiming they are racist and have a vendetta against her friend.
Edward Enninful was appointed editor-in-chief of the magazine earlier this year following Alexandra Shulman’s resignation after 25 years in charge.
Enninful, 45, is the publication’s first black and first male editor in its 101-year history – and one of his opening moves was to make Miss Campbell a contributing editor.
But his lack of journalistic experience and love of partying with A-list stars means the Ghanaian-born stylist’s appointment has been questioned by some.
Miss Campbell said: ‘I’m not pleased at how he [Enninful] has been treated. I’ve been in this business for 31 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this in my life. I find it racist.’
In an article by Miss Shulman last month, she appeared to have a dig at Enninful and his glamorous Instagram page.
Writing for the Business of Fashion website, she said: ‘The new guard of editors… will be less magazine journalists and more celebrities or fashion personalities with substantial social media followings.
‘It’s certainly not a job for someone who … thinks that the main part of their job is being photographed in a series of designer clothes with a roster of friends.’
Apparently alluding to Miss Shulman’s piece, Miss Campbell, 47, claimed Enniful had ‘got the job fair and square’.
Posh pyjamas: Victoria Beckham in an online preview of the next Vogue magazine
She told The Guardian: ‘He has worked in this business for many years. It’s like a vendetta.’
Enninful is said to have told friends his priority was to ‘get rid of the posh girls’ when he started the job in August. Since then, a number of leading staff have been ousted or have chosen to go.
Enninful has offered a preview of his celebrity-filled debut issue, which comes out on Friday. Victoria Beckham in her pyjamas, Glenda Jackson and child star Millie Bobby Brown are among those featured in a 45-second ‘trailer’ on his Instagram account.