Anok Yai is officially Model of the Year.

On Monday, Dec. 1, the 27-year-old accepted the coveted title at the 2025 Fashion Awards, which took place at London’s Royal Albert Hall. The event is presented by the British Fashion Council and Pandora and, per a press release, “recognizes the global impact of a model who has dominated the industry over the last 12 months.”

the و of و a – تفاصيل مهمة

In the release, Yai shared what the award means to her. “Being named Model of the Year is such an honor,” she said. “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. Thank you for celebrating us.”

Yai appeared at the ceremony in a white and ivory satin corset-style gown. The custom Dilara Findikoglu look featured a mermaid silhouette, draped skirt and ruffled train.

The model also sported drop earrings and a blunt bob hairstyle with bangs.

At the 2024 Fashion Awards, Yai lost Model of the Year to Alex Consaniwho became the first transgender model to win the prize.

Following the ceremony, Yai took toXto congratulate Consaniand also send a message to the British Fashion Council.

“Alex, I love you and I’m so proud of you. British Fashion Council, thank you but I don’t want it any ,” Yai wrote.

She followed it up with a secondpostwriting, “If you have seen the effort that I’ve seen Alex put in; you would understand how proud I am of her. 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.”

the و I و you – تفاصيل مهمة

Consani and Yai were nominated for the award alongside Alva Claire, Amelia Gray, Liu Wen and Mona Tougaard. Yai was also nominated in 2023, but Paloma Elsesser won.

In her cover interview forElle’s August 2024 Future of Fashion issueYai opened up about the racism she faced while “growing up dark-skinned in New Hampshire.”

“There was a lot of racism. A lot of kids made fun of me for my skin color,” she said, adding, “I was the kid in the corner who didn’t talk to anybody. I never really had a set friend group. I was of a floater. I was always on the outside looking in.”

Her ambition allowed her “to feel comfortable with my separation from my peers,” she explained. “I always knew I was meant for bigger things than the small town that I came from.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In a joint interviewAllurepublished on Tuesday, Sept. 23, Yai spoke candidly about her friendship with Consani, 22.

“The whole thing has actually brought us closer,” Yai said while addressing rumors of tension between the two.

to و a و on – تفاصيل مهمة

She added, “The I work in fashion, the I value humanity and individual people. It’s an interesting juxtaposition to what people online talk about. They’re always fantasizing about the lives of these low-key boring bitches that never experienced anything. I’m like, ‘Babe, why aren’t we talking about the girls who worked hard for it, have an actual story, have a history, have a message?’”

Yai clarified that she and Consani “have a really close relationship” and were surprised to see social media comments about a supposed feud.

“That night, we were actually partying,” she recalled of the 2024 Fashion Awards. “We were celebrating (Alex) with her trophy, and then when we stepped out, we got all the (social) notifications. It was like, ‘Oh s—.’”

and و were و we – تفاصيل مهمة

She also said she was “proud” of Consani when she won the award.

“And the stuff that Alex has done, no one’s done it in the game before,” Yai added. “She’s the first trans model to really be acknowledged, and she deserves all of it. What I didn’t like was people attacking Alex for being trans.”

Consani said that she was “upset” by the “racism” toward Yai in the aftermath of the awards ceremony. “There aren’t a lot of dark-skinned models that have reached the status you’re at, and the mistreatment that I see in fashion, especially towards dark-skinned girls, it’s really upsetting,” she told Yai during theAllureinterview.

“There’s value in giving girls their flowers, especially girls that are almost always mistreated,” Consani added. “The focus of that whole situation should have been what we need to do to support one another, not creating some beef that was never there.”

the و that و in – تفاصيل مهمة