© Nick Knight
June issue
Judi Dench Covers The June Issue Of British Vogue
By Edward Enninful 4 May 2020
In late March, when this issue was starting to go to press, Britain had just gone into lockdown. By that time, the Vogue staff had been working from home for nearly two weeks, and adjusting to new ways of conducting ourselves in the coronavirus pandemic, uncertain of how long it would last and fearful of the tragedies ahead. When you read this, we will still be unsure.
Between the daily horrors and acts of bravery in this global fight, it has been extraordinary to see how life adapts. I am continually moved by the examples of kindness and community that I see (albeit remotely) around me – whether it's the staggering number of people volunteering to help the NHS, or the ways in which my team look out for one another every day. Never has it been more obvious that we are all in this together.
Read more: "Creativity Will Always Prevail": Coronavirus Has United Britain's Young Designers Like Never Before
Take fashion, an industry that touches so many people's lives, built as it is at the meeting point of creativity and community. With factories closed, fashion houses are working hard to protect jobs and livelihoods as supply chains are paused. Smaller brands are hurting deeply, nervous about their futures, and wondering how the seasonal calendar that defines our business will operate in the short term, and then perhaps be reimagined for the longer term.
Read more: Judi Dench Is Vogue's Oldest Cover Star – Just Don't Ask Her About Ageing
One thing is clear: unity has never been more crucial to protect and promote a field on which an estimated 1.3 million jobs depend, in this country alone. I spend much of my time now speaking to CEOs, the British Fashion Council, designers and Vogue's collaborators, seeking to nurture business and creativity through this intensely difficult time. Together, we are finding a wide range of creative approaches to celebrating and supporting fashion – which you will see more of in the coming months. Question marks currently abound in the industry, but Vogue will be here, working tirelessly to rebuild its future.
Read more: Judi Dench: "Retirement? Wash Your Mouth Out"
In this spirit, it gives me great pleasure to announce the winners – note the plural – of this year's BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund. In a first for the esteemed prize, which provides a crucial injection of money and support to emerging brands, and whose past winners have included Christopher Kane and Molly Goddard, this year the award is being shared among all six finalists. From accessories brands such as Alighieri and Métier, to labels Charles Jeffrey Loverboy, David Koma, Halpern and Rejina Pyo, each is a worthy winner. It is exactly the sort of move we need right now as we rally round our rising stars.
Lastly, I can't tell you how pleased I am to see Judi Dench, the unassailable queen of stage and screen, starring on her first ever Vogue cover at the age of 85. Photographed in early February and interviewed under the looming spectre of Covid-19 over the following weeks, Judi is the oldest person ever to grace our cover, and she brings great perspective and a message of hope from her own quarantine in the English countryside. Ever modest, the dame is not a fan of the term national treasure. But treasure her we do. Now more than ever.
Read more: Please Enjoy This Video Of Judi Dench Doing A Tik Tok Dance Challenge
The June issue of British Vogue is out on newsstands and available for digital download on 7 May.
NewsEdward EnninfulJudi DenchJune 2020
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