Chioma Nnadi, a journalist from London, will take over as the editor of British Vogue after months of speculation from the departing Edward Enninful. Nnadi will make history as the first black woman to serve as editor of the New York-based fashion publication since its inception in 1892. Debuting in 1916, British Vogue is the crown jewel among Vogue’s 28 international editions around the world.
Nnadi was recently promoted from within Condé Nast to the position of online editor for American Vogue. Before making the move to New York in 2010, she worked as a features writer for London’s Evening Standard Magazine, as well as for Trace and The Fader. Over the course of 13 years, she started at American Vogue as a staff writer and worked her way up to oversee all of the publication’s digital content. Condé Nast, where Nnadi works, called her a “Vogue veteran” in a statement.
As a writer, Nnadi’s interests and priorities will naturally diverge from those of her predecessor, Enninful, who was primarily a stylist and imagemaker. According to Alexandra Shulman, who served as the editor of British Vogue between 1992 and 2017, the decision to hire an editor with a writing background indicates a shift in priority.
It is expected that Vogue will share more of its pricey photo shoots across its international editions. This will free up time for local editors to focus on content that is more relevant to their specific market. Nnadi highlighted that she was looking forward to “engaging a loyal digital community” and “storytelling” in her new position.
It is expected that Nnadi will be in place in the London office by the time Enninful concludes his final two issues of the magazine (his last issue will be published in March 2024). Since Nnadi regularly participates in three weekly online meetings with the British Vogue team, she is well acquainted with her London coworkers.
Since Enninful intends to remain at Condé Nast in an advisory capacity, Nnadi is seen more as a safe pair of hands than a clashing ego or eccentric character. Nnadi, a true professional, has interviewed such notable figures as Cara Delevingne, Rihanna, and Michaela Coel for the magazine, and she has long been an advocate for up-and-coming London and New York designer talent. In May 2022, after working at the Met Gala, she admitted that she found red carpet events daunting. “Put me under the glare of a thousand flashing light bulbs and I’m a wobbly mess,” she wrote.
Dame Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of American Vogue and all of the publisher’s magazines worldwide, has praised Nnadi’s “impeccable reputation” and said that she is “beloved” by her coworkers.
“I can’t think of a more worthy person to follow in [Edward’s] footsteps than Chioma,” Wintour said. “She has proven herself adept at speaking to our digital audience.”
Nnadi will be based in London; she is of Nigerian and Swiss-German ancestry. So as not to fuel rumours, she stayed at home in New York rather than attending London Fashion Week, which kicked off on September 14 with a spectacular Vogue World event orchestrated by Enninful and Wintour.
