In April 2017, British Vogue did something truly revolutionary by choosing, for the first time in its history, to appoint a man as the head of the publication. Executives selected Edward Enninful, a British-Ghanaian fashion extraordinaire, for the role of editor-in-chief, having been impressed by his strong reputation within the fashion publishing business.

Enninful has been involved in high fashion for some time now. He started his career in the industry as a model, something he has described as his “baptism” into the sphere. At the age of just 18 he was put in charge of the magazine i-D, which made him the youngest ever fashion director for an international publication. He stayed in this position for more than two decades, and received acclaim for his unique style and inventive covers.

Enninful’s first cover for British Vogue, published in December 2017, signalled to many that in addition to his interest in fashion as an art form, he is also an advocate of using it to express social and political beliefs. His debut cover featured mixed-race British model and feminist activist Adwoa Aboah, who is known for her online platform Gurls Talk.

Many had criticised Enninful’s predecessor, Alexandra Shulman, for failing to include a diverse range of models on the magazine’s covers, with no solo black models appearing on the cover of British Vogue between Naomi Campbell in 2002 and Jourdan Dunn in 2014. Insiders believe Enninful’s appointment will lead to a more inclusive future for the publishing titan.

However, the coming year will not be the easiest time for Enninful to be in control of British Vogue; in August, it saw a three percent drop in its circulation. Its owner, Condé Nast Britain, is likely to put more effort into digitalising some of its other brands, such as Glamour and British GQ, in the future. Nonetheless, even in the face of a rapidly altering industry, many believe that if there’s anyone who can take British Vogue to new heights, it’s Enninful.