On this day, November 5, 2025, the British Fashion Council shattered tradition and rewrote fashion history, announcing Model of the Year almost a month before the official ceremony. And the name the world had been waiting to hear - Anok Yai.
On this day, November 5, 2025, the British Fashion Council shattered tradition and rewrote fashion history, announcing Model of the Year almost a month before the official ceremony. And the name the world had been waiting to hear - Anok Yai.
November 5, 2025
On this day, November 5, 2025, the British Fashion Council shattered tradition and rewrote fashion history, announcing Model of the Year almost a month before the official ceremony. And the name the world had been waiting to hear - Anok Yai.
For the first time ever, the BFC broke its own rules to reveal the winner early, an honor reserved for a model who transcends the title itself. After two consecutive years of nominations, Anok Yai finally claimed the crown that her fans, peers, and the entire industry had long known she deserved. The announcement arrived through the BFC’s Instagram account, igniting instant celebration across every corner of fashion.
In her own words, Yai shared:
My journey - from Egypt to South Sudan to the U.S. is one of resilience and community. This recognition is for everyone who's ever seen their story in mine.
The decision marked a career-defining milestone for Anok Yai - a model who has turned every season into her own stage. In Spring/Summer 2026, she led the world’s most powerful runways: opening Ferragamo, Coperni, and Hugo Boss, closing Ralph Lauren, Fendi, Vetements, and Messika, and bringing grace and seduction to Saint Laurent, Mugler, Tom Ford, Calvin Klein, Bottega Veneta, and Chanel for Matthieu Blazy’s debut.
Her dominance extended beyond the catwalk. Yai fronted global campaigns for Mugler’s Alien fragrance, Gap, and Victoria’s Secret, while gracing covers of Vogue France, Perfect, and Allure, sharing the latter with last year’s winner Alex Consani. Each moment strengthened her place as the face of modern fashion - powerful, fearless, and entirely singular.
This year’s Model of the Year was decided not by public vote but by an elite panel of industry visionaries, including Laura Weir, Emma Davidson, Campbell Addy, Carlos Nazario, Emma Matell, Kacion Mayers, Pat Boguslawski, and Sophia Neophitou-Apostolou. Their unanimous decision confirmed what everyone already knew: Anok Yai isn’t following the path - she’s defining it.
Her journey from a college student got scouted at a festival to global fashion royalty captures everything this era celebrates - representation, artistry, and pure determination. Anok Yai has entered fashion history as the exception - the model who set a new standard, claimed her moment early, and turned it into legacy.
