British Vogue unveils its December 2017 edition, the first edition since British Ghanaian style guru Edward Enninful came in as the Editor in Chief in April and he has just lost a chance of discovering a new Vogue face.

The new Chief editor in his quest to address what he calls inclusivity, has ended up with a more vintage, reminiscing cover with a 70s and 80s feel than ‘diversity’, and I for am disappointed. “My Vogue is about being inclusive,” said Enninful. “It is about diversity – showing different women, different body shapes, different races, different classes [and] tackling gender.”

Disappointedly though not shocking, Enninful’s cover story is model Adwoa Aboah, and a list of all the same faces and names we have always heard in the fashion elite word. I was waiting for a revolutionary cover. A cover that has just discovered a new girl, a cover that will make me scream, wow! This is a missed opportunity to give a beautiful upcoming model a break.

Let’s be honest here, doing what is obvious isn’t creative in my opinion. Enninful being black would have chosen a different angle to inclusivity with his first cover than focusing on his race which is the obvious thing that everyone expects. He should have been more daring in stamping his authority and name as a creative genius with this first issue.

The focus of this ‘diverse’ issue should have been something very shocking, unexpected, refreshing, daring, edgy and new. It should have given an unknown, hard working, beautiful model her break. The team should have done more to find the ‘ordinary British beauties’ never known before.

Edward has just changed the clique at Vogue and brought his own set of cliques. That is not ‘diversity’. With this, we are making diversity to be about who is in charge and those they want around themselves. Diversity should be going against your usual to give voice to the ignored. These names on this ‘diverse’ cover are far from ignored.

I didn’t see anything new or diverse from the usual Vogue faces only thing I have seen and loved is the vintage feel which is ok though.

I don’t know what you think, but then you can share your views too. But before I get carried away by my first impression of the vintage ‘diverse vogue cover, lets get to know who the cover girl is and why she is the perfect fit for this very ‘diverse’ cover.

Who is Adwoa Aboah and why would she make this diverse?

Ok, here we go, first paragraph on Wikipedia:
“Adwoa Aboah is a British fashion model and feminist activist, of British and Ghanaian descent In March 2017, she appeared on the cover of American Vogue with Liu Wen, Ashley Graham, Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, Imaan Hammam, and Vittoria Ceretti.”

You see what I mean? Edward is Ghanaian, Black and has been in the fashion world like forever. Now I don’t see any diversity at all. Is this just a missed opportunity to diversify Vogue? Yes. Gathering your own clan for your first outing isn’t creative and is certainly not diverse. Let us not stripe that word off it’s meaning and value.

Nothing against Adwoa as person, I only think she shouldn’t have been chosen for this so ‘diverse’ cover, may be subsequent covers would have been suitable. Of course, she is not a new face on Vogue anyway. Giving a new face, a new model and an ordinary woman a chance would have done the diversity thing for me. My opinion.