GUEST EDITOR’S LETTER
on a cold and blustery London day, that I sat down for a cup
of tea with British Vogue’s editor-in-chief, Edward Enninful.
Though we have several mutual friends, our first encounter
had been years in the making, the impetus for which was my
asking him to support an organisation I strongly believe in
called Smart Works (The Smart Set, page 276).
What evolved over the next hour was a promising pow
wow of two like-minded thinkers, who have much in common,
including our love of writing. Over a steaming cup of mint
tea, we teased through how one can shine light in a world
filled with seemingly daily darkness. Lofty? Of course. Worth
it? Without question.
Within hours of our meeting’s end, we were already texting
one another – philosophising about how to communicate
this shared understanding and the lens through which we
see the world, how to pivot from a perspective of frustration
to one of optimism.
So I asked the question. Actually, I typed and deleted the
question several times until I built up the courage to ask the
question in question.
“Edward... instead of doing the cover, would you be open
to me guest editing your September issue?”
(Mind you, I know how important the September issue is
for the fashion industry. I realise the reach, and I see the
opportunity to be a part of fashion’s push for something
greater, kinder, more impactful. But I am also a little nervous
to be boldly asking the editor-in-chief, whom I’ve only just
met, to take a chance on me.)
I sent the text.
...
The ellipsis... the “dot dot dot” that inspires the greatest
practice of patience in this digital era.
And then it appeared, EE’s reply: “Yes! I would love for
you to be my guest editor.”
Sitting on my sofa at home, two dogs nestled across me,
I quietly celebrated when the words appeared on my screen.
Within a week, Edward and I were having our regular
meetings – discussing goals, ideas, who would feature on
the cover, all while I was undergoing a crash course in
editorial lingo (“the well”, meaning the inner crux of the
book) and acronyms aplenty (“FOB”, which I took a stab at
being “front of book”). I was trying to blend in, to keep upwith the pace of these seasoned professionals, and to learn
as much as I could as quickly as possible.
There were facets I felt were of prime importance to
include within this issue – elements that would hopefully
set the tone, knowing this issue hits stands in August, just
as readers gear up for the September fashion shows, where
judgement can become clouded and focus skewed toward
the superficial. I had read a book many moons ago called
The Four-Chambered Heart, by Anaïs Nin, which had a quote
that has always resonated with me: “I must be a mermaid,
Rango. I have no fear of depths and a great fear of shallow
living.” For this issue, I imagined, why would we swim in
the shallow end of the pool when we could go to the deep
end? A metaphor for life, as well as for this issue. Let’s be
braver. Let’s go a bit deeper.
That’s what Edward and I have aimed to achieve. An issue
of both substance and levity. It is, after all, the September >It was in early
January...
Above, from top left: HRH
The Duchess of Sussex on
a private visit to Smart
Works (page 276); A note
from the beach, on page
168; Jacinda Ardern,
Jane Fonda and Salma
Hayek Pinault – just three
of this month’s forces for
change (page 236); Brené
PETER LINDBERGH; RICHARD MISRACH; © SUSSEX ROYAL; PETER YANG Brown, on page 192
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