Anok Yai, 27, recently made history as the second African (Adut Akech was the first) to be awarded the Model of the Year by the British Fashion Council. Historically, five models are nominated, but in Anok’s case, she was declared the winner right off the bat.
Anok is one of the most popular supermodels in the world; she is known for her dark porcelain complexion and her fierce gait as she walks the runway and covers numerous magazines, but we bet you don’t know these three things about her.
Now, here are some facts about Anok Yai that you may not know
1. Anok Yai was Born in Egypt
Anok is American-Sudanese. She was born in Cairo, Egypt in 1997, after her family fled the genocide in Sudan. Her family then relocated to Manchester, New Hampshire, when she was three years old. 
2. She was Discovered on Instagram
Steve “theSUNK” Hall, a professional photographer, saw Yai during Howard University’s homecoming week in October 2017. He took a picture of her and shared it on Instagram. After he shared the picture, it went viral, and modelling agencies requested to contact her. After receiving daily calls from different agencies, she ultimately decided to sign with Next Model Management.
3. She is the First Sudanese and Second Black Woman to Open for Prada
She became the second Black model after Naomi Campbell and the first Sudanese model to open a Prada fashion show. This achievement came within four months of signing with Next Model Management. Opening for Prada is considered the greatest achievement in fashion modelling, as it has led to successful careers for many.
Why Anok Yai’s Model of the Year Win Is Important
For two years prior, many people thought she would win, including Anok herself, who tweeted that although she was proud of Alex Consani, the winner from the previous year, and she felt she deserved to win, she even told the British Fashion Council to keep their award.
Thankfully, they didn’t listen to her, and she won this year. During her acceptance speech, she spoke about the plight in Sudan and also mentioned how her win is one for little Black girls.
With the prevalence of colourism, where light skin is often seen as the standard of beauty, Anok’s achievement shines as a beacon of African and dark-skinned beauty.
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