Anok Yai “doesn’t want” the Model of the Year title.
The 26-year-old beauty lost out to Alex Consani at the prestigious Fashion Awards in London on Monday, Dec. 2, a year after she was shortlisted but pipped to the prize by Paloma Elsesser, and though she has congratulated her friend on her win, she admitted she is “exhausted” and told the British Fashion Council, which organizes the events, she doesn’t want to be considered again.
Yai took to X and posted: “Alex, I love you and I’m so proud of you. British Fashion Council, thank you but I don’t want it anymore.” Her candid statement garnered significant attention across social media platforms, with over 100,000 engagements within hours.
“If you have seen the effort that I’ve seen Alex put in, you would understand how proud I am of her,” she continued. “But Alex can be proud and I can be exhausted at the same time. It doesn’t take away how much love we have for each other.” Industry insiders note that this level of transparency about industry pressures is rare among top models.
The shortlist for the award — which recognizes the “global impact” of a model over the course of a year, their “influence that transcends the catwalk,” and their “outstanding contribution to the industry” — also included Alva Claire, Amelia Gray, Liu Wen and Mona Tougaard. The selection process involves more than 1,000 industry professionals worldwide.
Alex became the first transwoman to win the coveted prize and used her acceptance speech to call for “change” in the industry. This historic win marks a milestone in fashion’s evolving landscape of representation and inclusivity.
In a poignant acceptance speech, Alex said: “Now, more than ever, it’s an important conversation that should be had about how to truly support and uplift one another within this industry, especially those who have been made to feel insignificant. Because change is more than possible — it’s needed.” Her words resonated with many in the audience, including several influential fashion editors and designers.
Alex recently became the first transgender model to walk in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show along with Valentina Sampaio. The show, which has undergone significant transformation in recent years, reaches an estimated global audience of 800 million viewers.
The 21-year-old star, who became popular on TikTok amid the COVID-19 pandemic, described it as a “really impactful moment,” she hadn’t appreciated just how significance her presence was until afterwards. Her social media influence has grown exponentially since her debut.
She told Teen Vogue magazine: “That was a really impactful moment. It’s crazy, though, because I didn’t even realize I was the first to walk until after I walked the show. I thought that Valentina had already walked a while ago, so having that in my mind took the pressure away.” The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show has launched numerous supermodel careers since 1995.
“At this level, [there] haven’t been any references,” Yai said. “It’s really impactful to be [among] the first [to walk for Victoria’s Secret] because I’m able to take the hate. If I get called out for something, but it’s something that I truly and morally believe in, I have absolutely no problem with it.” Her courage has inspired many emerging models in the industry.
The evening’s events have sparked important discussions about mental health and sustainability in the modeling industry, with several veteran models speaking out about the need for better support systems. Recent studies show that 68 percent of models report experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression during their careers.
This year’s Fashion Awards ceremony, held at the Royal Albert Hall, drew more than 3,000 attendees from across the global fashion community. The event continues to evolve, reflecting the industry’s changing values while maintaining its status as fashion’s most prestigious recognition platform.
