British Vogue says inside, the issue features 19 disabled talents from across fashion, sport, the arts, and activism, representing some of the 16 million disabled people living in the United Kingdom. The issue highlights how the fashion industry can be more inclusive, and adapt to better support the disabled community.
Edward Enninful OBE, editor-in-chief, British Vogue & Vogue European editorial director said: “[Producing this issue] was a necessary and overdue education for all – and taught us many lessons we will carry forward into the future. Ultimately, these covers and portfolio ask a question: we all engage with fashion, but does fashion engage with all of us? “Dynamic, daring and disabled” reads our cover. Dynamism of spirit, of talent, of imagination, is what the stars of this issue have in spades. It is this quality that the industry – and here I include Vogue – must also lean into if it is to better serve the disabled community, alongside the disabled community, with jobs, in the design of retail spaces, of photography studios, of digital interfaces, events, communications and, of course, clothes.”
British Vogue says it has worked closely with accessibility consultancy Tilting the Lens, and CEO Sinéad Burke, to create this issue.
Sinéad Burke, CEO of Tilting the Lens and May cover star, said: "With its cultural relevance, highlighting and honouring the disabled community in the pages of British Vogue creates a call to action for the much-needed change in other parts of the fashion industry, and beyond. Accessibility and Disability inclusion are everyone’s responsibility and opportunity – this is a movement, not a moment.”
Editorial to accompany the portfolio photography includes interviews and a personal essay, all designed to help educate readers on issues and conversations within the disabled community. Online, people will find further content including social and video, added the publisher.
As part of the creation of this issue, British Vogue worked with Tilting the Lens to explore ways the process of making British Vogue could be more accessible. This included a review of facilities at photo studios in London (e.g. lift and ramp access), the inclusion of alt text features on site and social media, and improved audio description in videos. British Vogue will retain these changes for future issues and releases.
British Vogue has also worked with the Royal National Institute of Blind People to produce a digital and audio Braille version of the May issue, which will be available on 5 May.
Read British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful’s editor’s letter in full here.
The portfolio and cover stars in the May 2023 edition features:
- Selma Blair, Actress
- Sinéad Burke, CEO of Tilting the Lens and consulting editor
- Ellie Goldstein, Model
- Nicolas Hamilton, Racing driver
- Jessikah Inaba, Barrister
- Rosie Jones, Comedian
- Justina Miles, ASL performer
- Musa Motha, Rambert company dancer
- Aaron Rose Philip, Model
- Rosaleen McDonagh, Writer and human rights commissioner
- Reuben Selby, Creative entrepreneur
- Christine Sun Kim, Artist
- Trifle Studio, a London-based design collective of artists with learning disabilities
- Fats Timbo, Author, comedian and content creator
You can see the full feature in the May issue of British Vogue available via digital download and on newsstands from Tuesday 25th April.
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