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Fashion risks going backwards on diversity, says ex-Vogue boss

2025-09-18 14:00:11
Edward Enninful says the fashion industry "has to figure out where we stand and what we stand for"

Asked by Rajan if he thought a cultural "anti-woke moment" was now taking place, he agreed.

"I think it's definitely a cultural moment," he replied. "Woke is a dirty word.

"We see what's happening in the world politically. So anything that's not deemed as normal or the norm is seen as wrong."

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) defines "woke" as meaning "well-informed" or "up-to-date" as well as being "alert to racial or social discrimination and injustice".

It has been seen as a badge of honour by some on the left, but more often as an insult by those on the right.

The fashionista continued: "It's not woke to think that someone curvy is beautiful, it's not woke to think someone from another country is beautiful."

He believes the fashion industry "has to figure out where we stand and what we stand for".

Edward Enninful and Anna Wintour pictured at 2024's UK premiere of Disney+ documentary series, In Vogue: The 1990s