Vogue editor Edward Enninful speaks out about temp doorman who told him to use tradesman’s entrance

Vogue editor Edward Enninful has spoken out about being refused entry into his own office by a doorman, saying: ‘It’s not the first time I’ve been profiled, and it certainly won’t be the last’. 

The journalist was turned away from Vogue House in Mayfair by the temp guard who not only failed to recognise him, but then told him to use the tradesmen’s entrance by a loading bay at the back of the building.

Recalling the incident, he told CNN: ‘It wasn’t an isolated incident. Had I been younger I would have been so upset. 

‘I wouldn’t be able to say anything, but now I can talk about it. I’ve got the platform to speak about it and I don’t want this to happen to the next generation.’ 

The doorman involved in the incident in July was a temp covering for the normal, older doorman who was shielding from Covid-19, MailOnline previously revealed. He was swiftly sacked. 

Mr Enninful said changes were needed to prevent similar incidents in the future. 

‘We need education, we need people behind the scenes so that we can get a seat at the table,’ he said.

The 48-year-old, who became the first non-white person to be appointed editor of Vogue in 2017, revealed in another interview that he was actually glad about what happened because it reminded him never to think of himself as ‘too successful’. 

He told Sky News: ‘It’s important that something like this did happen, because it reminds me never to think I am too well-known or too established, because to somebody you are another black person.’ 

The magazine’s offices have been largely closed during the pandemic with almost all staff working remotely.

Enninful turned up to work at Vogue’s offices in Hanover Square on July 15 only to be advised to enter via a loading bay at the back of the building in Mason’s Arms Mews.

At the time he was described as ‘very upset’ at the way he was treated and wrote on social media: ‘Today I was racially profiled by a security guard whilst entering my work place.

‘As I entered, I was instructed to use the loading bay. Just because our timelines and weekends are returning to normal, we cannot let the world return to how it was. Change needs to happen now.

‘Conde Nast moved quickly to dismiss the security guard, but it just goes to show that sometimes it doesn’t matter what you have achieved in the course of your life: The first thing that some people will judge you on is the colour of your skin.’

Supermodel Naomi Campbell, a Vogue covergirl, demanded: ‘When will this change? Been happening in UK for so long — so sorry you had to go through that.’

Enninful was born in Ghana but grew up in West London.

After succeeding the long-serving Alexandra Shulman, he reportedly told friends that his priority was to ‘get rid of the posh girls’.

His arrival at the magazine prompted a mass exodus of staff, including baronet’s daughter and deputy editor Emily Sheffield, who is Samantha Cameron’s sister.

Famous friends were shocked by his experience with the security guard. 

Supermodel Naomi Campbell demanded: ‘When will this change? Been happening in UK for so long — so sorry you had to go through that.’

Actress Gemma Chan commented: ‘There’s so much more to do. Sorry this happened to you.’

Television presenter Trisha Goddard told him: ‘I was once mistaken for the tea lady, but this is mad.’

A Conde Nast spokesman said: ‘ It is understood the security guard, who works for a third party contractor, was dismissed from the site immediately and placed under investigation by their employer.’