London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jun 15, 2026

Edward Enninful says Vogue disability issue is 'one of my proudest moments'

Edward Enninful says Vogue disability issue is 'one of my proudest moments'

British Vogue editor Edward Enninful has said working on May's issue, which has five disabled cover stars, was "one of the proudest moments of my career".

Titled Reframing Fashion, the edition focuses on 19 disabled people in total from fashion, sport and the arts.

The magazine's cover stars include actress Selma Blair, who has multiple sclerosis, and model Ellie Goldstein, who has Down's syndrome.

Enninful, 51, said he had "learned so much" from producing the issue.

"My tenure here at Vogue has always been about inclusivity and diversity, and people forget how hard it is for the disabled community," Enninful told the BBC.

Ellie Goldstein, 21, is a British model with Down's syndrome


He revealed last year in his memoir that he had visual and hearing impairments and a blood disorder, which he said present "challenges" in his role as editor-in-chief at British Vogue.

"It was so important I could relate - I felt real pride that people can actually speak up about disabilities and not have to hide it and how it impacts them.

"I think this is one of the most incredible issues I've had the privilege of editing in my tenure."

Nicolas Hamilton, half-brother of seven-time F1 world champion Lewis, is a racing driver with cerebral palsy


Other contributors to the new edition include racing driver Nicolas Hamilton and comedian Rosie Jones, who both have cerebral palsy, and Justina Miles, who is deaf and was the sign language interpreter at Rihanna's 2023 Super Bowl half time show.

"What I loved about all of them is they all just speak up and champion their community by teaching the world to be more caring and understanding," Enninful said. "Anybody like that deserves to be on a British Vogue cover."

The May issue also features Sinéad Burke as a contributing editor and cover star. She runs accessibility consultancy Tilting the Lens, which has advised brands like Netflix and Starbucks on how to make their businesses more disability-friendly.

"Sinéad taught me that retail spaces are quite unfriendly to people with disabilities and that photographic studios are not designed to cater for them," Enninful said.

"She has really opened my eyes and taught me that a whole group of people are being ignored."

Sinéad Burke consulted Vogue on its disability issue and also appears as a cover star


Burke spoke to the BBC's Access All podcast about making sure all Vogue photoshoots for the issue were suitable.

"We surveyed every studio to learn what level of accessibility existed and then ensured the talent was set up to meaningfully participate," she said.

"What makes this issue so different is the way in which we think about visibility and representation moving from something that is solely based on image and the cover, to being in the room where decisions are made so that it's not a moment, it's a movement."

British Vogue said it hopes to represent some of the 16 million people living with invisible and visible disabilities in the UK, and show how the fashion industry can be more inclusive.

Enninful, who got the top job at British Vogue in 2017 and became European editorial director of Vogue in 2020, said he hopes to make the publication a more inclusive workplace.

"We want to carry this on and for people to see Vogue is taking that step... We're not perfect, but we have to create this welcoming space," he said.

One of the covers features Justina Miles, a deaf sign language interpreter who performed at Rihanna's Super Bowl half time show


It's an issue that got some media attention earlier this year when Victoria Jenkins appeared on BBC show Dragon's Den.

Having become disabled in her 20s, Jenkins discovered there were very few fashionable clothes on the market for people like her.

She founded her own brand Unhidden to cater for various disabilities.

I mentioned this to Enninful, and my own concerns as someone who has had inflammatory bowel disease for nearly 20 years and has had to resort to pyjamas and tracksuit bottoms during a flare-up or operation to feel comfortable.

"I always have conversations with designers and it's something we'll carry on with," Enninful said.

"But I think the more you raise awareness of what people go through, the more people will start thinking how they can be more inclusive."

Aaron Rose Philip appears on one of the Vogue covers - she is the first black, transgender and physically disabled model to receive a major modelling contract


Enninful said a big part of shooting this Vogue campaign involved making those involved feel like there was a place in the fashion industry for them.

Many people with both visible and hidden disabilities have not felt seen in the media, especially on the front of glossy and often airbrushed magazine covers.

"There were a lot of tears - a lot of them [models] didn't think photoshoots were for them and couldn't believe they were involved," he replied.

"Ellie [Goldstein] said it was her dream to be on the cover of Vogue and she said, seven years ago people would have laughed at her, but there she is, and everybody deserves to be seen.

"When this issue comes out, I hope a lot of disabled people will look at it and say, not only can I see myself on the pages of Vogue, but also in fashion."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Parliament Opens Week of Fast-Tracked Security and Infrastructure Legislation
Northern Ireland Projects £21 Million Boost From Major Cultural and Sporting Events
UK and Japan Sign Technology Security Pact to Strengthen AI and Supply Chain Cooperation
UK Welcomes US-Iran Peace Breakthrough Aimed at Restoring Strait of Hormuz Shipping
British Forces Intercept Russian Shadow Fleet Oil Tanker in English Channel Sanctions Operation
UK to Ban Social Media for Under-16s Under Landmark Online Safety Expansion
Anti-Immigrant Riots Spread Across Belfast, Raising Security Concerns
Ministry of Defence Opens Europe's Largest Drone Testing Facility in Swindon
Kemi Badenoch Calls for Deregulation to Restore City's Global Competitiveness
UK Housing Market Posts Sharpest June Price Decline in Fourteen Years
NHS Waiting Lists Rise to 7.22 Million as Diagnostic Delays Reach New Highs
Makerfield By-Election Raises Prospect of Labour Leadership Challenge
Bank of England Expected to Hold Interest Rates at 3.75% Despite Growing Policy Divisions
Royal Marines Seize Sanctioned Russian Oil Tanker in English Channel
Prime Minister Keir Starmer Set to Ban Social Media and AI Chatbots for Under-16s
United Kingdom Markets Rally After US-Iran Deal Reopens Strait of Hormuz
Defence Secretary John Healey Resigns Over Military Spending Dispute, Triggering Cabinet Crisis
Royal Navy Takes Part in Trooping the Colour for the First Time in 350 Years
Think Tank Warns Labour's European Union Reset Could Carry Significant Economic Costs
UK Semiconductor Centre and Japan's Rapidus Forge Advanced Chip Manufacturing Partnership
UK and Japan Launch Offshore Wind Compact Backed by £9 Billion in Investment
Starmer and Trump Discuss Iran Peace Efforts and Reopening of the Strait of Hormuz
United Kingdom and Japan Sign £18 Billion Investment Partnership Focused on Clean Energy and Advanced Technology
Barclays Moves to Acquire GoHenry in Bid to Expand Youth-Focused Fintech Services
UK Lupus Patients Show Remission in NHS Genetic Therapy Trial
London Clean Air Zones Linked to Fewer Emergency Hospital Admissions for Respiratory Illness
UK World Cup Scheduling Research Suggests Energy Bill Savings From Off-Peak Usage
UK Economic Anxiety Rises Among Young People Over Long-Term Job Prospects
NHS Expands Meningitis B Vaccination Programme for School Leavers and New Students
London Ultra-Low Emission Zone Linked to Drop in Emergency Respiratory Hospital Admissions
Derbyshire Police Officer Investigated Over Alleged Use of AI-Generated Evidence in Case Files
UK Parents Back Proposed Under-16 Social Media Ban as Online Safety Concerns Grow
Four Palestine Action Activists Jailed Over Sabotage Attack on Israeli-Linked Arms Facility
Barclays to Acquire GoHenry in Push to Expand Digital Banking for Children and Teenagers
UK Government Reaffirms Defence Spending Commitment Amid Cabinet Pressure and Political Disputes
Belfast Unrest Prompts Security Review as Paramilitary Activity Comes Under Renewed Scrutiny
SpaceX IPO Pushes Elon Musk to Become World’s First Trillionaire After Record Valuation Surge
United States and Iran Near Landmark Peace Framework as Negotiations Reach Final Stages
UK Competition Watchdog Investigates Ryanair Family Seating Charges
Imperial College Study Links London Emissions Charges to Lower Hospital Admissions
Scottish First Minister Launches US Trade Initiative Ahead of World Cup Match in Boston
Fifteen Million Workers Gain Expanded Sick Pay Rights Under UK Reforms
British Retail Investors Secure Record Participation in SpaceX Share Offering
Keir Starmer and Micheál Martin Coordinate Response to Northern Ireland Violence
NHS Prepares for Major Disruption as Resident Doctors Announce Four-Day Strike
Bank of England Expected to Hold Rates as Energy Costs Complicate Inflation Outlook
Britain Moves to Ban Under-16s From High-Risk Social Media Platforms and AI Chatbots
UK Economy Contracts as Middle East Conflict Weighs on Growth
Defence Secretary John Healey Resigns Over Military Spending Dispute With Treasury
Prime Minister Keir Starmer Faces Leadership Crisis After Senior Cabinet Resignations
×