Model of the Year Anok Yai stuns at The Fashion Awards 2025

South Sudanese-American supermodel Anok Yai has finally secured the Model of the Year title at The Fashion Awards 2025.

The ceremony, which took place at the Royal Albert Hall in London, brought together the global fashion elite to recognise the industry’s most influential figures.

For Yai, the win is a significant validation.

The 27-year-old had been nominated for the same award in both 2023 and 2024, missing out on previous occasions to Paloma Elsesser and Alex Consani respectively.

Her 2025 triumph acknowledges her dominance over the last 12 months, where she has been a fixture in major campaigns and runway shows across New York, London, Milan, and Paris.

Yai accepted the honour in a custom ivory satin corset gown designed by Dilara Findikoglu, a Turkish-British designer who also enjoyed a successful night, winning the Vanguard Award.

The dress featured a dramatic mermaid silhouette, a draped skirt, and a ruffled train, which Yai paired with a sharp, blunt bob hairstyle.

In her acceptance speech, Yai delivered a powerful message directed at the next generation of talent.

She also reflected on her personal history,

Yai’s ascent in the fashion world is one of the industry's most compelling origin stories.

Born in Cairo to South Sudanese parents fleeing civil conflict, she moved to the United States as a child, eventually settling in New Hampshire.

Her career began almost by accident in October 2017.

While attending a homecoming event at Howard University in Washington, D.C., a photographer snapped a picture of her.

The image went viral on social media, catching the attention of major modelling agencies.

Within weeks, she had signed a contract, leaving her biochemistry studies at Plymouth State University to pursue fashion full-time.

She made history less than a year later, becoming the second Black model ever to open a Prada show, a feat first achieved by Naomi Campbell in 1997.

Since then, Yai has appeared on numerous international Vogue covers and fronted campaigns for luxury houses including Estée Lauder and Tom Ford.

While Yai took the top modelling prize, the event also recognised significant shifts in creative leadership across major European fashion houses.

• Designer of the Year: Jonathan Anderson won this category for the third consecutive year. The award recognised his dual roles at his own label, JW Anderson, and his new position at Dior.

• British Womenswear Designer of the Year: Sarah Burton was honoured for her work at Givenchy, marking a successful start to her tenure at the French house.

• British Menswear Designer of the Year: Grace Wales Bonner (Wales Bonner) retained her status as a leading force in menswear.

• Vanguard Award: Dilara Findikoglu received the award for her impact as an emerging designer.

• Cultural Innovator Award: Musician and artist Little Simz was celebrated for her influence across fashion and culture.

The British Fashion Council organises the annual event to raise funds for the BFC Foundation, which supports the future growth of the British fashion industry through education, grant-giving, and business mentoring.