Kenya Hunt

Kenya Hunt 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
Education	University of Oxford University of Virginia
Occupation(s)	Fashion journalist, magazine editor
Notable credits	Assistant Editor, Jane Deputy Editor, Elle UK Fashion Director, Grazia UK
Title	Editor-in Chief, Elle UK
Spouse	Matthew McGuinness

Early life and education

Hunt 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

As 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 2020 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

Hunt has resided in London since 2008 with her husband, Matthew McGuinness.^[1][7] The couple have two sons.^[8]

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Result	Ref.
2021	The Fashion Awards	Global Leader of Change: People	Won[a]	[9]

Notes

1. Recognized alongside Edward Enninful, Harris Reed, Samuel Ross, and Telfar Clemens