ELLE Magazine: Young, Gifted, and Black

ELLE UK’s February edition brilliantly highlights young black British talent. Grime artist Stormzy headlines the cover and is joined throughout the issue by a collective of young black Britons who inspire him.

Stormzy writes about the need to inspire young black Britons in the issue.

“[I want] people to see this and realise if you are young, black and British you can 100 per cent excel in whatever lane you want.”

Stormzy has supported young black Britons before: last year he established a scholarship fund for two black students attending Cambridge University. [link to OBV article]

Premier League footballer Wilfried Zaha also features in this edition of Elle. Expressing his excitement on Twitter, Zaha said:

“Inspiring a generation Stormzy. Proud to be on the cover of @ELLEUK with these guys. Young black and British.”

As well as Zaha, Stormzy is joined by model Jourdan Dunn, Olympic medal-winning boxer Joshua Batsi, sprinter Dina Asher-Smith, model and campaigner Leomie Anderson, activist Temi Mwale, actor Damson Idris, singer songwriter Tiana Major9 and writer, model and actor Yrsa Daley-Ward.

This follows in the footsteps of Editor-in-Chief of British Vogue, Edward Enninful. Since his first issue as editor in December 2017, a tribute to Britain’s diversity, Enninful has sought to use this fashion-bible as a means to celebrate racial differences.

The ELLE issue has been praised across social media and is available from today.

Louis Brady