Box ticking and nepotism lives on at British Vogue

The self-important wallies at British Vogue have come up with a list of 25 female trailblazers who are ‘redefining’ Britain in 2023.

These ‘Powerhouse’ people range from the over-familiar to the completely unknown.

From Kylie Minogue to the Queen, musician Raye, actor Jodie Comer, and Alexander McQueen designer Sarah Burton to a jewellery designer and a film director.

Former Countdown co-host turned twitter ranter Carol Vorderman is also on board.

Along with an online clothing boss who describes herself as ‘asexual and aromantic’ and the Director of Frieze Art Fair, who hails from Hong Kong, there are three Baronesses and champion Coronation Sword carrier Penny Mordaunt.

The sound of box ticking is deafening.

There’s a couple of eco-activists, one of whom just happens to be Vivienne Westwood’s granddaughter. And a couple of models – one of whom just happens to be Kate Moss’s daughter Lila. Nepotism lives on at Vogue.

Jody Comer has already won every award going in the last couple of years – a BAFTA, an Emmy, an Olivier award and a Tony. All well-deserved, but she’s not really a trail blazer these days, more a member of acting royalty.

Kylie – at 55 – is hardly desperate for another accolade from Vogue. She’s just had a global hit with Padam Padam, is about to release her 16th studio album and starts a residency in Las Vegas in a month or so.

A game-changer all her life, sticking to her own style with absolutely no input from the pretentious people at Vogue – Kylie is an original, full stop.

As for Queen Camilla, she hates unnecessary fuss and flim flam, and will be cringing at the very mention of the word ‘game-changer’ because that is not how she sees herself at all.

She is rock solid, very much her own person. Having met her, I know she watches Loose Women and reads the Mail. She even sent me one of her sweaters with a jokey note a few years ago.

All the women on the Vogue list are clever. All are talented. But are they really changing the world?

Baroness Casey wrote a damning review of the Metropolitan Police. Let’s see how much is implemented in five years.

Baroness Scotland – a controversial figure – has been appointed Secretary General of the Commonwealth.

Baroness Hallett is chairing the UK’s Covid 19 Inquiry. Why stick them on a list right now?

Their entire careers have been in public service, doing a job they are well rewarded for.

The amount of research and detective work to come up with the real 25 women who are working to change modern Britain would have required far more time and effort than this feeble mish mash demonstrates.

Where’s the woman who has just donated her womb for a game-changing marathon piece of surgery so that her sister (born without one) could have a much-wanted child?

That’s a selfless, inspirational act.

It seems to be more important (for Vogue) to have the right ethnic mix, the right age ranges and the right causes, like mental health and disability, than actually celebrate female brains and bravery away from life in the spotlight.

Lists like this are lightweight confections scrawled on the back of an envelope, but – given that our women’s football team has risen to such glorious heights in the last year – how could the Lionesses be passed over? Could it be because so many of them are the wrong colour, have Essex hair and eyebrows and come from working class backgrounds? They are simply the best role models for women in Britain today, without question.

And where is Katarina Johnson-Thompson? No mention of this superb athlete who has just taken the gold medal in the heptathlon at the World Championships in Budapest, after a three year fight back from serious injury.

British Vogue Editor Edward Enninful – clearly not a sports fan – has controversially decided that the only athlete worthy of mention in his ramshackle roll call of excellence is 22-year-old trans cyclist Emily Bridges.

Bridges, who competed in the British team for just one year before transitioning in 2020, has been told she cannot take part in the 2024 Olympics in the women’s team by British Cycling.

The debate about trans rights in sport and equality of access for all genders has been highly contentious. This year, the International Swimming Federation, the International Rugby League, British Triathlon bosses and British Athletics have all decided that trans competitors cannot compete alongside women who were female at birth.

Some sporting disciplines are considering whether trans competitors can participate in an ‘open’ category alongside men in future. These rulings will upset many and cause further dissent and debate but sticking one trans cyclist up there with the Queen and Kylie hardly seems designed to bring about a change in attitudes.

The Trailblazers are nothing more than a parade of placards. A wish list, just like that box you bung all the clothes you’d like to buy but you can’t afford into when online shopping.

Elsewhere in the magazine, it’s business as usual at British Vogue, celebrating the deeply shallow world of high fashion and glamour at all costs. The September issue cover features a bunch of 50+ supermodels, showing the rest of us ordinary size 16 folk that ageing is easy if you have access to couture clothes and a skilled team of re-touchers.

Cindy, Linda, Christy and Naomi are show ponies repackaged to please the luxe advertisers and give some glamour to a magazine whose online readers tend to shop at Primark and Zara.

Women don’t need Vogue UK to make them feel inadequate and under-achievers.

Vogue is breathtakingly shallow, not matter how much they might dress up their attempts to honour worthy causes and reflect the lives of their readers.

Their circulation – like that of all glossy magazines – has been falling steadily as readers prefer to chat online. These days, Vogue’s website needs to appeal to a younger demographic, women aged 17 – 29. That’s why they have devoted a huge amount of space to dear Coleen Rooney (hardly a Vogue person up to now), transforming her into a high fashion icon, as she promotes her version of the Wagatha Christie saga, out soon on Disney+.

I salute all the women on Vogue’s list – but being placed on a pedestal has its downside. If you’re a ‘powerhouse person’ in 2023, you will – like last season’s clogs – be utterly down the dumper in a year’s time.

In fashion, one minute you’re hot, and the next, you’re not.