Top Ghanaian stylist and fashion editor Edward Enninful has been rewarded with an OBE for his contributions to diversity in fashion – a feat evident in his new fashion film The Seven Deadly Sins of Edward Enninful, featuring Naomi Campbell.
The film – shot by Nick Knight and narrated by Travis Scott – explores each of the well known seven deadly sins, Gluteny, Vanity, Sloth etc, with Naomi Campbell playing the part of Pride, Kate Moss signed up for Lust and Jourdan Dunn representing Envy.
Speaking with Times Magazine on diversity, for which the creative pair (friends who’ve worked in the fashion industry for more than 25 years) have both publicly advocated, Edward explained;
“If you put one model in a show or in an ad campaign, that doesn’t solve the problem. We need teachers in universities, we need internships, we need people of different ethnic backgrounds in all parts of the industry. That really is the solution, you have to change it from the inside.”
Naomi added;
WATCH: NAOMI CAMPBELL MODELLING IN GHANA“For me, it never stops. It’s not a fight, it’s a conversation—constantly reminding people that diversity is beautiful and that there should be diversity and equal opportunity. It never stops because you say it and they say that they listen, and it seems to take two steps backwards.”
Edward – who started his career aged 17 at i.D Magazine, where he was appointed fashion editor by age 18 – was awarded his OBE on the Queen of England’s 90th birthday, making Mr Enninful Officer of the Order of the British Empire for “his services to diversity of the fashion industry,” posting to his Instagram page;
“Today I was HONORED with an OBE for ‘SERVICES TO DIVERSITY WITHIN THE FASHION INDUSTRY’. So happy and thankful to HRH and everybody who has been a part of my journey. Photo by #StevenMeisel, style by moi in 2010 for @voguemagazine xoxo #diversity#birthdayhonours#queens90thbirthday“
Team SPICE congratulate Edward Enninful on his new honour, and look forward to further movements in favour of diversity within fashion – though first we’ll rewatch the creative’s new fashion film with Naomi Campbell here below.
Image source: Vimeo.com/showstudio, @Edward_enninful, Pinterest.com