In this discussion, Edward Enninful, former editor-in-chief of British Vogue and founder of EE72, shares his journey from editorial powerhouse to entrepreneurial innovator. He unveils his vision for EE72, a platform that blends print and ‘slow digital’ storytelling, emphasizing inclusivity and community. Enninful reveals why Julia Roberts was chosen as the inaugural cover star, celebrating authenticity and diverse representation. He reflects on redefining success in entrepreneurship, prioritizing creativity, freedom, and personal fulfillment over traditional commercial metrics.
48:37
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
question_answer ANECDOTE
Career Culmination Spark
Edward built EE72 as a culmination of his career after turning 50 and wanting a new challenge.
He wanted a project for himself and his community that combined everything he'd learned across magazines and styling.
insights INSIGHT
Three-Arm Business Model
EE72 is structured as three complementary arms: a platform, a consultancy, and a quarterly magazine.
The platform powers podcasts, live events and commerce while consultancy work feeds creative commissions into the magazine.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Adopt Slow Digital Publishing
Avoid building a constant news-feed platform; adopt a 'slow digital' cadence and publish when you have something meaningful to say.
Learn and iterate rather than launching a massive always-on product from day one.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
This week, former editor-in-chief of British Vogue, Edward Enninful, unveiled EE72, a media platform and consultancy which blends a print magazine, a “slow digital” publishing platform and creative agency which aims to tell stories across fashion and lifestyle through the lens of culture.
“EE72 for me is a combination of everything I've done in my career. It's really where I want to be now. I want to be free and be able to do whatever I want,” says Enninful. “I could have created something that was very avant-garde but I wanted something that anyone could pick up and feel welcomed. That was very important to me.”
Imran Amed, founder and CEO of The Business of Fashion, sat down with Enninful to discuss why he launched EE72, what it means to build a fashion media company at a time when both industries face existential challenges and how his newfound freedom informs his business strategy and creative decisions, from choosing a quarterly publishing cadence to selecting his first cover starJulia Roberts.
Key Insights:
EE72 is an opportunity for Enninftul to move away from the confines of Condé Nast. “I wanted it to be free and sort of be able to do whatever,” he says. That freedom extends to how he will publish: “I’ve not really listened to what was commercially viable. I always went with my instincts and somehow they paid off. … When we have something to say, we will say it. I call it ‘slow digital'. We’re going to learn, we’re not going to build something ginormous waiting for people to come.”
On his choice of Julia Roberts as the cover star of his first issue, Enninful says “Julia represents something that society really needs. She is one of the biggest movie stars in the world. She is outspoken, she's a real woman. For me, inclusivity was never just about race; for me it was [also] about age.Julia for me represents the invisible woman, women in their 50s who are being told day in and day out it's about youth. The first message that I wanted to put out there was that everybody's welcome regardless of age.”
Enninful is deliberately resisting an ad-driven kick-off for EE72. “I didn’t go around to any houses to ask for ads, because in my head it was clear what we needed to do, how we needed it to start. And of course, we’re going to grow and things are going to change,” he shares. “We’re going to be sitting here in a year’s time and you’re going to be saying, ‘why are there so many ads?’, but it’s the whole idea of growing organically.”
His advice for the next generation of editors is simple but pragmatic. “It’s easy for me to say follow your dreams, but practically, surround yourself with like-minded people. Surround yourself with people who can really help you when you’re down, because it’s going to be a tough journey,” he says. “It’s not easy. You don’t just get up and end up being a superstar. Learn from your mistakes. Try new things, because that’s the only way you’re going to learn. If you’re playing it safe your whole career, that’s a problem.”
The Business of Fashion Podcast