Kenya Hunt (born August 17, 1976) is an American fashion writer and editor. In 2022, she became the first Black woman to serve as editor-in-chief of Elle UK.[1]
Kenya Hunt | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 17, 1976 |
| Education | |
| Occupation(s) | Fashion journalist, magazine editor |
| Notable credits | |
| Title |
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| Spouse | Matthew McGuinness |
Early life and education
editHunt was raised in Virginia and graduated from the University of Virginia with a bachelor's degree in English literature. She also holds a master's degree in Literature and the Arts from Oxford University.[2][3]
Career
editAs a student, Hunt gained writing experience through internships at The Village Voice and Vibe magazine. An editor at The Village Voice recommended her for a role at Jane magazine, where she began as a research assistant and later became an assistant editor. Following her tenure at Jane, Hunt moved to the United Kingdom.[3]
Hunt joined Elle UK as the fashion features director in 2015.[1] That year, she founded R.O.O.M. Mentoring to support greater diversity in the fashion industry.[4] She was promoted to a deputy editor position at Elle UK in 2017, a role she held until 2019 when she became the fashion director of Grazia UK.[3]
In 2020, Hunt published her first book, a collection of essays by herself and other high-profile Black women titled Girl: Essays on Black Womanhood. [5] She was recognized as a Global Leader of Change by the British Fashion Council at The Fashion Awards the following year.[6]
Hunt returned to Elle UK in 2022 as the publication's editor in chief.[3]
Personal life
editHunt has resided in London since 2008 with her husband, Matthew McGuinness.[1][7] The couple have two sons.[8]
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | The Fashion Awards | Global Leader of Change: People | Won[a] | [9] |
Notes
edit- ^ Recognized alongside Edward Enninful, Harris Reed, Samuel Ross, and Telfar Clemens
References
edit- ^ a b c "Kenya Hunt". Business of Fashion. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
- ^ "Hearst UK: Editor-in-Chief, Kenya Hunt, talks Empowerment". BYP Network. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
- ^ a b c d Soar, Sophie. "How I Became… Fashion Director of Grazia UK". Business of Fashion. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
- ^ "About Us". R.O.O.M. Mentoring. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
- ^ Hunt, Kenya. "Kenya Hunt On #BlackGirlMagic & What It Means To Be A Bad Bitch". Refinery29. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
- ^ "Kenya Hunt". Elle. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
- ^ Laforest, Gaelle. "Gourmandizing paints SE London delicious colours". East London Lines. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
- ^ Abay, Georgie. "Kenya Hunt on Her Book Girl: Essays on Black Womanhood". The Grace Tales. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
- ^ "2021 Winners". The Fashion Awards. Retrieved 21 April 2024.