Black supermodel Anok Yai has told the British Fashion Awards not to nominate her for any more awards – after she lost out to transgender star Alex Consani.
The American model, 26, who was born in Egypt and raised in New Hampshire, said she is ‘exhausted’ with the state of the fashion industry in an X post, which has since been deleted.
Earlier this year, Anok – who has modelled for brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, Tiffany & Co and Thierry Mugler – was nominated for ‘Model of the Year’ at the British Fashion Awards, which are held at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
The title – which Anok also missed out on in 2023 – has previously been won by industry heavyweights Kate Moss, Georgia May Jagger and Cara Delevingne.
This year, Anok was up against Alva Claire, Amelia Gray, Liu Wen, Mona Tougaard and Alex Consani, who became one of the first transgender model to walk in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in October.
Ahead of the awards, many fans had tipped Anok – the second black model after Naomi Campbell to open a Prada show – to win the coveted title.
Following the loss, Anok posted an un-captioned photo of Kanye West famously interrupting Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV VMAs, which fans interpreted as the model saying she had been snubbed by the British Fashion Council.
After this, the supermodel, who is of Sudanese descent, congratulated her peer on X – before then addressing the British Fashion Council directly, hinting her frustration with them overlooking her as a black model.
Pictured: Anok Yai (left) and Alex Consani (right) at the Alien Hypersense Fragrance Launch in New York in March
She wrote in her deleted post: ‘Alex, I love you and I’m proud of you. British Fashion Council, thank you but I don’t want it anymore.’
Anok continued: ‘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 post sparked fierce debate on X, with some arguing Anok had tainted her peer’s achievement.
One wrote: ‘Nope, you had your chance last year and you didn’t get it. Let other people have their chance to shine too. Alex winning is 100% deserved.’
Another added: ‘Wow sounds like you’re just riding on Alex’s coattails while playing the “tired” card.
‘If you’re so exhausted maybe let Alex shine without your shadow. Or better yet, take a nap and let us know when you’re ready to join the “proud” club without the caveats.’
‘If you would’ve won, Alex wouldn’t have been talking about this,’ a third said. ‘You didn’t win. So grieve in private, not while [your] friend is celebrating.’
Pictured: Transgender model Alex Consani, who won the Model of the Year award at the British Fashion Awards last week
Anok (pictured) – who has modelled for brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, Tiffany & Co and Thierry Mugler – was nominated for ‘Model of the Year’ at the British Fashion Awards , which are held at the Royal Albert Hall in London
The post sparked fierce debate on X, with some arguing Anok had tainted her peer’s achievement
However, others felt Anok was right to voice her disappointment – arguing that she had been ‘robbed’ for the second year in a row.
‘You definitely deserve model of the year,’ one supporter said. ‘You got robbed again..’
‘I’m glad you cleared this up,’ another said. ‘You deserved to win and so did she, the problem is the industry refusing to recognise the work of black models.’
‘Your feelings are valid,’ a third wrote.
Following the controversy, Teen Vogue’s associate editor Aiynaha Ishmael wrote an article arguing that Anok voicing her frustration with the result ‘isn’t an attack’ on Alex’s win.
She wrote: ‘Yai can be upset at the institution, honouring her emotions while still being excited for Consani.
‘The dismissal of her feelings serves no one. For so long, Black and brown women have been told to just be grateful to be in the room, especially when it comes to fashion.
‘But broadly, we can acknowledge that minorities are often expected to accept defeat with humility and grace, while White people get to be whole versions of themselves. Because isn’t it enough that you were nominated? You shouldn’t expect to win.’
Following the loss, Anok posted this photo of Kanye West interrupting Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV VMA awards – leading fans to speculate she was feeling snubbed
The supermodel (pictured with Alex) congratulated her peer on X – before then addressing the British Fashion Council directly, hinting her frustration with them overlooking her as a black model
Both Anok Yai (pictured) and Alex Consani appeared in Victoria’s Secret Runway show in October
Alex Consani (pictured) became one of the first transgender model to walk in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in October
Anok Yai (pictured) was also praised for her Met Gala look in May, which saw her don 98,000 Swarovski crystals
Over the past 12 months, Anok – who was scouted at her university’s homecoming festival in 2017 – has appeared in multiple runway shows and also starred in the music video for Travis Scott’s single I KNOW ?.
She was also the subject of one of the most talked about moments in Paris Fashion Week – when she starred as Veterments’ ‘runaway bride’. Both Anok and Alex appeared in Victoria’s Secret Runway show in October.
As well as becoming the face of the Mugler perfume Alien Hypersence, Anok was also praised for her Met Gala look in May, which saw her don 98,000 Swarovski crystals.
Last year, black trans model Kai-Isaiah Jamal, who came out as a trans man in 2014, narrowly missed out on the Model of the Year Title after being pipped at the post by plus-size model Paloma Elsesser.
Alex Consani, who is 6ft, started modelling in 2015 and is known for having distinctive bleached hair and and eyebrows.
The California-born star wore a ripped Union Flag dress by Turkish-British designer Dilara Findikoglu during the award acceptance speech and used the opportunity to honour multiple black transgender women, such as model Connie Fleming who ‘really fought for the space.. that allowed me to flourish today’.