{{Short description|American fashion editor}} {{Infobox person | name = | image = Kenya Hunt at SXSW London 2025.jpg | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | nationality = | spouse = Matthew McGuinness | other_names = | occupation = Fashion journalist, magazine editor | education = {{plainlist| *University of Oxford *University of Virginia}} | years_active = | known_for = | credits = {{cslist|Assistant Editor, ''Jane''| Deputy Editor, ''Elle'' UK| Fashion Director, ''Grazia'' UK}} | title = {{cslist|Editor-in Chief, ''Elle UK''}} }}
'''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.<ref name="bof">{{cite web |title=Kenya Hunt |url=https://www.businessoffashion.com/community/people/kenya-hunt |website=Business of Fashion |access-date=21 April 2024}}</ref>
==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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hearst UK: Editor-in-Chief, Kenya Hunt, talks Empowerment |url=https://byp.network/hearst-uk-empowerment/ |website=BYP Network |access-date=21 April 2024}}</ref><ref name="bofsoar">{{cite web |last1=Soar |first1=Sophie |title=How I Became… Fashion Director of Grazia UK |url=https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/news-analysis/how-i-became-kenya-hunt-fashion-director-grazia-career-advice/ |website=Business of Fashion |access-date=21 April 2024}}</ref>
==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.<ref name="bofsoar" />
Hunt joined ''Elle'' UK as the fashion features director in 2015.<ref name="bof" /> That year, she founded R.O.O.M. Mentoring to support greater diversity in the fashion industry.<ref>{{cite web |title=About Us |url=https://roommentoring.com/about-us |website=R.O.O.M. Mentoring |access-date=21 April 2024}}</ref> 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.<ref name="bofsoar" />
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''. <ref>{{cite web |last1=Hunt |first1=Kenya |title=Kenya Hunt On #BlackGirlMagic & What It Means To Be A Bad Bitch |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/kenya-hunt-girl-extract |website=Refinery29 |access-date=21 April 2024}}</ref> She was recognized as a Global Leader of Change by the British Fashion Council at The Fashion Awards the following year.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kenya Hunt |url=https://www.elle.com/author/3850/kenya-hunt/ |website=Elle |access-date=21 April 2024}}</ref>
Hunt returned to ''Elle'' UK in 2022 as the publication's editor in chief.<ref name="bofsoar" />
==Personal life== Hunt has resided in London since 2008 with her husband, Matthew McGuinness.<ref name="bof" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Laforest |first1=Gaelle |title=Gourmandizing paints SE London delicious colours |url=https://www.eastlondonlines.co.uk/2013/10/gourmandizing-paints-se-london-in-delicious-colours/ |website=East London Lines |access-date=21 April 2024}}</ref> The couple have two sons.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Abay |first1=Georgie |title=Kenya Hunt on Her Book Girl: Essays on Black Womanhood |url=https://thegracetales.com/kenya-hunt-on-her-book-girl-essays-on-black-womanhood/ |website=The Grace Tales |access-date=21 April 2024}}</ref>
==Awards and nominations== {|class="wikitable" ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Award ! scope="col" | Category ! scope="col" | Result ! scope="col" | Ref. |- ! scope="row" | 2021 | The Fashion Awards | Global Leader of Change: People | {{Won}}{{efn|Recognized alongside Edward Enninful, Harris Reed, Samuel Ross, and Telfar Clemens}} | align="center" | <ref>{{cite web |title=2021 Winners |url=https://fashionawards.com/2021-Winners |website=The Fashion Awards |access-date=21 April 2024}}</ref> |}
==Notes== {{notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hunt, Kenya}} Category:1976 births Category:21st-century American women journalists Category:21st-century American journalists Category:American expatriates in England Category:Elle (magazine) writers Category:Living people Category:Alumni of the University of Oxford Category:University of Virginia alumni Category: Writers from Virginia Category:Elle (magazine) people