In the land of the beautiful people, backbiting and vicious rumours lurk a millimetre below the glossy exterior. The news that British Vogue editor Edward Enninful, long thought to be the steely Anna Wintour’s successor as editor-in-chief, is to move out and up into the Conde Nast stratosphere, has led to suggestions of a rift – all denied.
He was vaunted as an editor for the new age – working class, black, gay, keen to push diversity with a transgender model, a first man on the cover, disabled stars, Dame Judi Dench at 85 the oldest cover star, a Braille edition launched for the first time and the Duchess of Sussex as guest-editor in 2019.
He was born 22 February 1972 11.55pm (from memory) Takoradi, Ghana, with a seamstress mother who gave him a love for fabric and colour. He became a model at 16, a fashion director at 18, and has worked with Italian and American Vogue. His 2008 “Black Issue” for Vogue Italia, which featured only black models was so successful Condé Nast was forced to print another 40,000 copies.
He has an artistic, image-making Pisces Sun Mercury on the focal point of a Mutable T Square to a creative and nervy Saturn opposition Neptune. His Jupiter in money-magnet Capricorn in his 2nd is in a super-confident square to Pluto and a dynamic trine to a hard-working Mars in Taurus in his 6th. His design-conscious Venus in Aries in his entertaining/performing 5th house opposes an inventive Uranus.
His needs-a-cause North Node in Aquarius is in an Air Grand Trine to a tough Saturn trine Pluto – so he’ll never be happier than when he is fighting for the suppressed and deprived.
If his birth time is accurate than his Solar Arc Midheaven is conjunct his Uranus for a sudden change of direction, mirrored in tr Uranus square his Leo Midheaven in 2024. Tr Saturn in Pisces is depressing his Pisces Sun Mercury and the Mutable T Square throughout this year. The transition won’t be easy with a discouraging tr Pluto trine his Saturn this year and his Pluto in 2024/25 – but he’ll find a new cause in the years thereafter.
He and Anna Wintour are a clashing combination with her formidable Scorpio Sun opposition his stubborn Mars in Taurus and her Mars in Virgo opposition his Sun – Mars in synastry is competitive. Her Uranus is square his Pluto for a disruptive feel, her elusive Neptune is conjunct his Uranus and opposition his Venus and her critical, cool Saturn is square his Gemini Moon.
This is repeated in their relationship chart with a composite Sun Mercury opposition Mars and trine Pluto – making for arguments and power struggles. There are positives in terms of a business-oriented Earth Grand Trine, a power couple Jupiter trine Pluto and a creative Moon opposition Neptune – but all of that may end up barbecued by the sparring Mars and controlling Pluto.
At the moment tr Uranus is exactly square the composite Venus for an emotional upset and that will rock n’ roll through 2024 with tr Uranus square the composite Uranus as well.
All of it a trifle in comparison to Ukraine, China, Russia, debt ceilings, AI panics and dodgy doings in Westminster but the astrology is informative.
Timothee not great looking. How does v0ge people vote who gets on it?
Interesting read, because some people looking at my chart time ago said it professionally, it looked like I might be a fashion magazine editor, based on strong Mercury and Venus/Uranus in the 3rd house. And, growing up, I really used to love fashion magazines. For instance, we had British Vogue at our arts and crafts class at middle school, and I admit to looking at those runway photos more than sewing. So, interesting to compare charts!
And I think Edward Enninful actually has similar professional markers on his chart I have – not insignificant Mercury, a Venus/Uranus connection that likely explains his unconventional sense of aesthetics on the top Leo and 5th house. Of the two, he seems to have come to the trade for love of it, while Anna Wintour’s chart is steering more towards publishing. She could have succeeded on any bracket of that, likely chose fashion because of outside factors – for instance, this being an “easier” field for a woman than hard politics. I think some of her closest collaborators have said it, maybe even she herself.
On a side note, I know Ukrainians don’t mind discussing fashion during their time if strife. I notice Olena Zelenskyy has gotten lot of critism for looking good and elegant during a war from abroad. But, for Ukrainians, women especially, she is a symbol of resistance. Looking the best you can when hard hits are given has been extremely important to many oppressed communities throughout history. You can still see this with Black community in the US, and I’ve seen and heard it time and time again from ex-Soviet natives from ethnic minorities or “lesser” Soviet communities. It’s not a coincidence Raisa Gorbatcheva was noted for her style. She was born Titarenko in Siberia, from an Ukrainian father and “Siberian” (which is a funny term, but likely means there were outcasts and even outlaws very close to her in her family tree, as well as severely oppressed natives) mother. When Stalin deported entire Estonian villages and half of the town to Siberia, mothers would do impossible to dress their children with dignity. It was always seen as a middle finger to oppressing authorities. So, there’s definitely this side to things, and that’s why I will never see fashion as “frivolous”.
Thank you. I never heard of Edward, only Anna. It is a nice break from all the “stuff” we are dealing with here in the US. A nice refresh.