Will This Diverse Campaign Be The Wake-Up Call The Fashion Industry Needs?

Just a few days before he was announced as British Vogue’s next Editor-in-Chief, Edward Enninful was casting, styling and directing the white t-shirt campaign Bridging The Gap for American high street hero Gap.

The campaign features 14 diverse models, activists, sports stars, musicians, and actors selected by Enninful, all people he has previously worked with, admired and championed “who embody American culture today.”

The 14 faces featured include rapper Wiz Khalifa, transgender model Casil McArthur, fencing champion Miles Chamley-Watson and Sports Illustrated cover girl Christie Brinkley.

“The world has changed a lot so I wanted to do something that celebrates togetherness, the idea of celebrating each other and coming together to change the world through positivity”, said Vogue’s next Editor-In-Chief.

Enninful has campaigned for the need to change a predominately white fashion industry and was at the helm of the “all black” issue of Italian Vogue that was so popular an extra 40,000 copies were printed.

READ MORE: 5 Things To Know About British Vogue’s Next Editor In Chief

Activist and model Adwoa Aboah, one of the faces of the campaign, spoke to The Guardian about the campaign and the changes she’d like to see at Vogue with Enninful at the helm. ?I love Vogue, and I have huge respect for the team there. But, as a magazine, it doesn’t represent what the country is now, or only a very small part of it. And I hope that Edward is going to make it something that represents all the amazing things about Britain. Vogue should be about giving a voice to all different cultures. In 2017, there is more than one way to be beautiful, and more than one way to be cool. And when you put an image on the cover of Vogue, that means something that goes beyond fashion.?

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So is the Bridging the Gap campaign an idea of what is to come in the next generation of British Vogue under Enninful?

Enninful told The Evening Standard, ?You could say slowly but surely the world is changing, in a good way – equality in all forms is more and more part of the global conversation and people are celebrating diversity and individuality. People who have historically been marginalised are raising their voices. We’ve got to keep this conversation going. Social media and technology are democratising and opening up fashion and the process of fashion for all – this has good and bad sides but that comes with any change. I truly believe in brighter days ahead.?

Watch the behind the scenes of the Bridging the Gap campaign below.

We hope that diversity, be it in terms of size, sexuality, race or age, continues to evolve on the runway and in advertisements.