British Vogue releases a braille edition of its May issue to provide an accessible reading experience for those with visual disability.
Vogue’s editor in chief Edward Enninful announced on Instagram that the magazine’s first braille issue is available to the public as of yesterday.
“The Vogue team and I are delighted by the response to the May issue, but what the process of making it taught us is that what’s most important are tangible and lasting changes,”
People with visual disabilities are able to order a free copy of the special edition if they reside in the UK, and readers overseas are able to access the edition at an additional delivery fee. An audio Braille edition accompanies the physical copy, giving people the chance to listen to the landmark issue.
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The May issue spotlights 19 brilliant talents across fashion, sport, the arts and activism, featured in a series of heart-warming portraits and interviews.
British Vogue collaborated with consultant editor Sinéad Burke, CEO of the accessibility consultancy Tilting the Lens, in the creation of the edition. In discussing the inaugural issue, Burke emphasised that the edition represented a start, not a destination.
With five covers, the issue highlights five disabled trailblazers, including Burke, actress Selma Blair, American Sign Language performer Justina Miles, model Ellie Goldstein, and model Aaron Rose Philip.
“Disability should feel personal to us all,” wrote Enninful, in his editor’s letter “Some 16 million people in the UK are Disabled, with millions more Disabled-adjacent, whether visibly or invisibly. The time has come for us to get real about who we are as a society, and for fashion to build a better, more accessible and inclusive industry.”
Natalie Trevonne, CEO and blind designer, NYI, said: “A lot of people talk about inclusion but I think they forget that inclusion does include accessibility. So the fact that they’re trying to create access for everyone to experience the content is a step forward.”
Virginia Jacko, the blind president and CEO behind Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, added: “I love fashion and I would like to say that I’m kind of a fashionista,
“It’s a sighted world. Sighted people need to accept the blind or visually impaired and people with disabilities. And people with disabilities have to learn how to fit into a sighted world.”
Trevonne also emphasised that while this was a great start, the fashion industry had a long way to go to foster inclusivity for those with visual disabilities. “I just hope that they go beyond that and start including more blind and low vision folks in front of the camera and in more fashion brand campaigns,” she said.
You can listen to the audio Braille edition online at British Vogue.
