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Last night, the fashion world’s best-dressed celebrities, stylists and designers stepped onto the sapphire carpet at London’s Royal Albert Hall for the 2025 British Fashion Awards presented by Pandora, an annual celebration of international industry leaders and their defining work that shaped the year. While the evening honoured achievements across the industry—including Grace Wales Bonner, the newly appointed menswear creative director at Hermès, for British Menswear Designer of the Year and Jonathan Anderson for Designer of the Year for his dual reign at Dior and JW Anderson—there was one moment that gave fashion fans the same long-awaited satisfaction as Leonardo DiCaprio finally winning his Oscar. That moment, of course, was Anok Yai being named Model of the Year.
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Yai’s rise to supermodel stardom famously began back in 2017 when a striking, impromptu solo shot of her at a Howard University homecoming party went viral on Twitter. Within weeks, she quickly became the fashion world’s hottest prospect, feverishly courted by several top agencies before eventually signing with Next Model Management By 2018, she had already made history at Prada as the first Black model to open one of the house’s shows since Naomi Campbell in 1997, a breakthrough that immediately positioned her as one of fashion’s most important new faces. From there came a string of defining moments, including global beauty contracts with Estée Lauder, covers of Vogue and Elle as well as major runway moments with the likes of Saint Laurent, Mugler and Versace. Fast forward to today, and it’s clear that Yai has undoubtedly positioned herself as an industry-leading force—which is why it was so shocking that she hadn’t won Model of the Year until just last night. Nevertheless, last year’s winner Alex Consani and past honouree Paloma Elsesser not only presented Yai her award but showed immense support for her win all evening long—squashing any long-rumoured tales of potential feuds. The importance of the moment was not understated either. Just as Elsesser’s win marked a major shift for body inclusivity and Consani’s award ushered in a new era for gender inclusivity on and off the runway, Yai’s recognition shed new light on the ongoing need for racial diversity and inclusion in the industry.
Photography via Getty
“To all my little Black girls who are watching me right now—your colour is not a curse. You are not a trend, you are not unfortunate. You are worthy, you are capable and you are more powerful than you can imagine,” Yai passionately said in her moving acceptance speech before urging for peace in her home country of South Sudan. And as if anyone needed more convincing, Yai’s arrival on the blue carpet only further solidified her supermodel status. Wearing a custom corseted ivory gown by Dilara Findikoglu—who was also honoured with this year’s Vanguard Award—the dress’s exquisite lace, velvet and satin detailing shimmered with her every step. The star’s makeup was bold and luminous, complemented by a full-body glow that made Yai look even more statuesque. After winning such an esteemed honour at just 27 years old, it’s clear that Yai will continue to have an enduring influence on fashion for many years to come. With countless campaigns, covers and runways already under her belt, the question now is what bold moves she’ll make next—and we’ll certainly be watching closely. Continue Reading
