Anok Yai Stuns on the Red Carpet in Stunning Corset Gown to Accept Model of the Year at 2025 Fashion Awards

On Monday, December 1, 27-year-old Anok Yai received the prestigious Model of the Year title at the 2025 Fashion Awards, hosted at Londons Royal Albert Hall. The ceremony, organized by the British Fashion Council in partnership with Pandora, celebrates models who have made a significant global impact in the past year.

Yai expressed her gratitude in a press statement: Being named Model of the Year is such an honor. My journeyfrom Egypt to South Sudan to the U.S.is one of resilience and community. This recognition is for everyone whos ever seen their story in mine. Thank you for celebrating us.

She arrived at the awards wearing a custom Dilara Findikoglu white and ivory satin corset-style gown, featuring a mermaid silhouette, a draped skirt, and a ruffled train. Her look was completed with drop earrings and a blunt bob haircut with bangs.

In 2024, Yai was the runner-up for the same award, losing to Alex Consani, who made history as the first transgender model to win. Following that ceremony, Yai publicly congratulated Consani and clarified their relationship on social media, emphasizing mutual respect and support despite online rumors of tension.

The 2025 Model of the Year nominees included Alva Claire, Amelia Gray, Liu Wen, and Mona Tougaard, alongside Yai and Consani. Yai had also been nominated in 2023, when Paloma Elsesser received the honor.

In interviews, Yai has discussed the challenges she faced growing up as a dark-skinned child in New Hampshire. She recalled experiencing racism and feeling socially isolated, but said her ambition and vision for the future helped her persevere and find her path in modeling.

Addressing their friendship, Yai and Consani confirmed in an Allure interview that the past years events strengthened their bond. Yai highlighted the importance of celebrating genuine achievement and dismissed the online narratives about conflict between them. She praised Consani for breaking barriers as a transgender model, emphasizing that such accomplishments deserve recognition without discrimination.

Consani, in turn, expressed concern over the mistreatment Yai has faced in the fashion industry, particularly regarding her skin color. She stressed the importance of supporting each other and celebrating achievements, rather than focusing on false feuds.

Author: Sophia Brooks