Editor’s Letter
Across the globe, as we get ready to wrap up 2021.. out of office messages at the ready from our various offices; be it a 40-storey, high-rise overlooking Sunset Boulevard, a kitchen table top in the small town of Sedona or perhaps a bedroom in Walthamstow, we get ready for some Christmas cheer, whilst preparing our minds for 2022 – a blank canvas we’re all free to paint on, should we take the time to dream a little.
As I look back on 2021 and our catalogues of cover stars and projects, it’s quite interesting even for myself at the helm to mull over each issue and campaign, as we come to the culmination of the year, with our 18 cover stars.
Our first issue of the year saw Anne Boden, a powerhouse and probably the most unlikely of CEOs who gifted me her wonderful book ‘Banking On It’ and covered our January/February edition: The Power Issue, as the mastermind behind digital bank Starling.
Our March issue, a special edition marking Women’s History Month Women, saw 2 phenomenal leaders who continue to raise the value of British fashion and beauty; Caroline Rush CBE, the CEO of British Fashion Council and Millie Kendall MBE, the CEO of British Beauty Council. The issue followed The Now Woman Summit, a never-been-seen before 6-day digital event, which saw over 100 hosts and speakers across 10 countries. The most exciting thing about the summit for me was all the opportunities we offered. Opportunities for young women who, probably for the first time in history, were given the free range to host a leading conversation with female power players they look up to. These women were from various backgrounds, which the world would typically label: black; single mothers; ex-offenders and even inexperienced. I called them ‘now women.’
Then came our April/May issue as we redefined the term ‘partnerships,’ with the former Prime Minister and First Lady of Belize; Dean and Kim Barrow who became the first Black, and longest standing PM and First Lady of the country with their 13-year tenure. It was even more interesting to have the pair cover the issue, with Dean being the father of former Bad Boy Records rapper ‘Shyne’, and it being Kim’s second time with us, however her first time as a cover star.
We also rekindled old feelings as former ‘The Hills’ star, Lauren Conrad who transitioned from TV star to businesswoman, also covered the issue with business partner Hannah Skvarla.
As we entered the months of June and July and the nation prepared to leave the four walls of the homes we’d been confined to for almost 2 years, I also prepared to take on some exciting new interns at the WOTC HQ - one of which included the oldest of my two youngest sisters, Kaydria, yes Kaydria a fashion design student and aspiring designer, who became our fashion intern, alongside DeeDee who also became a fashion intern, Anastasia, our PR intern, Cyann, our editorial intern, Morgen our social media and shoot intern and Lily our social media and fashion intern. They each spent the next couple of months joining me at weekly meetings in Chelsea, shadowing myself and a few other members of the team, all whilst contributing their own ideas and thoughts, with DeeDee, Kaydria, Lily, Anastasia and Cyann even getting the opportunity to write themselves.
Universally, September is declared Fashion Month, and so as we all began screaming ‘we outside,’ thrilled at the opportunity to once again fill up our social calendars with real life, physical events that didn’t involve cleverly dressing from the waist up and Zoom, the fashion industry also prepared to welcome customers in store again and to host in-person fashion shows, with the usual FROW favourites, whilst fashion fanatics everywhere, kept an eye on social media, finger tips at the ready in wait of the street style and ‘straight off the runway’ fits that would bombard the streets of London, Paris, Milan and New York alike.
Being in the fashion industry for almost a decade myself working for names like NET-A-PORTER and MATCHES, our Fashion Issue had certainly become one of my favourite releases of the year. So, after having some of fashion’s greats on our cover from Marigay McKee who was responsible for establishing Harrods’ leading position in luxury as the ultimate shopping haven, to Conna Walker, who created the ultimate party girl uniform with House of CB, we simply couldn’t disappoint with our 2021 campaign, as WOTC billboards and taxis could be seen in the most prominent areas of the UK throughout Fashion Month and we added a new event to the fashion calendar WOTC Fashion Week. A special 2-day event open to the general public, WOTC Fashion Week consisted of a private invite only breakfast with friends of myself and the mag like Aspinal of London’s, Creative Director, Mariya Dykalo and Nöella Coursaris Musunka, talks at Selfridges London and the lavish Bulgari Hotel, a sustainable runway, and champagne reception at NOBU and a fleet of luxury cars which chauffeured speakers to each location.
We ended the month with the beginning of a very powerful conversation: sustainability, as we gathered the pre-loved and sustainable community from COCOON, to My Wardrobe HQ to Nubian Skin, who dressed Beyoncé for her formation tour to Tolu Coker, who’s dressed Burna Boy and has been commissioned by the Tate Modern. The issue also saw fashion IT girl and Wonderland EIC Toni Blaze on the cover, alongside NYX founder Toni Ko, because you can’t have fashion without beauty.
And as students all around the world began to return to education, we looked to address the long-standing issues within the education system and spoke to some of the UK’s best minds who recounted their journeys into the most prestigious educational institutions across the globe: Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard. Cover girl Christina Adane, who I met around this time last year, was the wonderkid who challenged Boris Johnson and his UK government against their decision to take away free school meals for 1.3 million children and prevailed.
And then came November, filled with Self-Portrait, Alessandra Rich and Roberto Cavalli dresses, awards ceremonies, cute lunches and impromptu dinners with old and new friends like Tracey Woodward and Alexandra Maurer, and ended with a brief encounter with one of the most inspirational men in fashion Tommy Hilfiger, at his flagship Oxford Street store.
Finally, as we say bye to 2021, we also renewed our commitment to champion everyday women, providing a platform to those who are rarely given them — if even at all, and hosted the beautiful New Faces Awards ceremony at The Berkeley, in Knightsbridge last Wednesday 8th December.
On the night, we honoured 16 inspirational women and a very special Man of the Year, who included Trish Halpin, former editor-in-chief of Marie Claire and Lorraine Candy, former editor-in-chief of Elle, who were awarded the Achievement Award by Sue Douglas, who launched Vogue.com and Glamour UK, BBC Africa’s new senior reporter Joice Etutu, who won the Rising Star of the Year and Daps who took home Man of the Year, and who has produced incredible music and videos for artists such as Naira Marley, Davido, Jay Z, Drake, Chris Brown, T Pain and Ms Banks to name a few. His award was presented by Tim Campbell MBE, the new co-host of the BBC’s Apprentice, who gave a moving speech about how men could be part of this very needed change.
The industry was on the edge of their seats as British Vogue’s former editor-in-chief, Alexandra Shulman, came together with other female leaders to form an incredible panel, speaking on change for women today. The panel discussion brought many in the room to tears as the traditional rivalry of women’s magazines was non-existent, in a never-seen-before display of unity amongst female giants in the media space. It was particularly special to host other magazines and publications such as Business of Fashion and Harper’s Bazaar on the night as it was clear the conversation had elevated past competition and that we were now all after the same thing: real change.
And in closing, I’d like to say a final thank you to two young women that I’ve had the utmost pleasure of working alongside this year: my beautiful assistant Deborah, who is a final year Mathematics major, and has been diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis, which typically, makes her ‘unqualified’ and ‘unable’ (by society’s standards), to do this role. You have been an incredible asset to the magazine. Thank you!! And secondly, Amie, whose story I never expected to encounter when I randomly called her one Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon back in April, to offer her the position as our junior fashion writer. She was going through an extremely difficult time, which could have resulted in the loss of her mind and her life, but when I heard her story, I saw myself and so I built a relationship with her, and checked in every few days or so. And so, having her present at the NFAs, in which she travelled all the way from Hesketh Bank to be in attendance, is the reason I do what I do.
Happy reading!