Anok Yai

Anok Yai (/əˈnɒk/; born December 20, 1997) is an American fashion model of South Sudanese heritage. She is the second black model after Naomi Campbell, and the first South Sudanese woman, to open a Prada show.[4] She has made several appearances on i-D and international Vogue magazine covers, including American Vogue three times. Models.com ranks her as one of the "New Supers" of this generation.[5]

Anok Yai
Yai walks at the Paco Rabanne Spring Summer 2020 show in 2019
Born (1997-12-20) December 20, 1997
Cairo, Egypt[1]
NationalityAmerican
Modeling information
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[2]
Hair colorBrown
Eye colorBrown
Agency

Early life

She was born in Cairo and her family moved to Manchester, New Hampshire when she was 3.[6] Her mother is a nurse and her father works for Easterseals; her sister Alim is her manager and a financial consultant.[7] She graduated from Manchester High School West and attends Plymouth State University studying biochemistry, intending to become a doctor.[8][9]

Career

Yai was discovered in October 2017 during Howard University's homecoming week, by a professional photographer Steve 'theSUNK' Hall who asked to take her picture. He posted the photo on Instagram, accruing over 20,000 likes, and modeling agencies, including IMG Models, asked to get in touch with her. She eventually chose to sign with Next Model Management, who had called her daily for several weeks.[10][11] Within 4 months, she became the first Sudanese model to open a Prada fashion show, which is deemed the highest feat in fashion modeling because of the careers Prada has launched.[12] She has also appeared in the Prada SS 2018 campaign and an upcoming Nike campaign designed by Givenchy's Riccardo Tisci.[13]

On her breakthrough moment, she told Vogue[14]

"It was an honor and I'm proud that I was the one chosen to open, but this is bigger than me. Me opening for one of the top fashion houses is a statement to the world - especially for black women - that their beauty is something that deserves to be celebrated."

Yai has walked the runways for Versace, Max Mara, Fendi, Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu, Chanel, Stella McCartney, Valentino, Givenchy, Loewe, Chloé, Dries van Noten, Saint Laurent, Ferragamo, Tom Ford, Dior, Sacai, Bottega Veneta, Alberta Ferretti, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Anna Sui, Proenza Schouler, Haider Ackermann, Lanvin, Alexander Wang, Alexander McQueen, Carolina Herrera, Tory Burch, Ralph Lauren, Longchamp, Coach, Paco Rabanne, H&M, Margiela, Jacquemus, Etro, Alaïa, Ports, Ann Demeulemeester, Courrèges, The Row, Marni, Benetton, Del Core, Schiaparelli, Off-White, Ferrari, Dolce & Gabbana, Fear of God, Boss, Mugler and Coperni. She has also appeared in advertisements for Tiffany & Co., Nike, Hood by Air, and Ambush.[15]

Yai has appeared on the covers and editorials of Vogue (including several of international editions), W magazine, CR Fashion Book, AnOther, Dust, Purple, Harper's Bazaar, i-D, Self Service, V Magazine, Elle, Garage, Document Journal, Dazed, and Pop.[16]

In July 2018, Yai became an Estée Lauder spokes model.[17]

In 2019, she was featured on the cover of Vogue Japan and in 2020, she was featured on the cover of Vogue Netherlands and Vogue Germany. In September 2021, she appeared on the cover of Vogue along with other models including Ariel Nicholson, Bella Hadid, and Kaia Gerber.[18] In February 2022, she appeared on the cover of British Vogue with all black models.

In 2023, Yai appeared the music video for American rapper Lil Yachty's song "Say Something".[19] During Paris Fashion Week, she opened her Mugler runway show.[20][21][22] Following her appearance at the 2023 Met Gala in Prabal Gurung, she was ranked one of the "best dressed supermodels" by Vogue Australia.[23] W magazine remarked: "Yai could not be missed in her look".[24]

Yai was ranked as one of the "Top 50" models by models.com,[25] and is now considered to be one of the "New Supers".[5]

Filmography
Films
Year Title Role Notes
2020 Saint Laurent - Summer of '21[26] Herself Short film

References
  1. "12 Models To Watch At New York Fashion Week". British Vogue. February 9, 2018.
  2. "Next / Anok Yai". www.nextmanagement.com.
  3. "Anok Yai - Model". models.com.
  4. Okwodu, Janelle (February 22, 2018). "At Prada, Supermodels, Virtual Models, and a History-Making Moment". Vogue. Condé Nast.
  5. "New Supers". models.com.
  6. Wootson Jr., Cleve R. (October 31, 2017). "A photographer unexpectedly snapped her picture at homecoming. Then, modeling agencies called". The Washington Post.
  7. Hayward, Mark. "Plymouth State student a model of internet fame after Instagram post - New Hampshire". newhampshire.com. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  8. "Modeling agencies reach out to woman featured in viral photos". cbsnews.com. October 30, 2017.
  9. Heyward, Jasmine (November 11, 2017). "New Hampshire college student signs with modeling agency after viral Instagram photo". boston.com.
  10. Tate, Crystal (October 26, 2020). "This 19-Year-Old College Student Signs Major Modeling Contract After Her Photo From Howard Homecoming Goes Viral". Essence.
  11. "Secrets of the Supermodel Trade". Business of Fashion.
  12. Yates, Jacqueline Laurean (February 23, 2018). "This South Sudanese college student is now a top model at Prada, thanks to the internet". yahoo.com.
  13. "8 Models to Watch This Season". The New York Times. February 9, 2018 – via NYTimes.com.
  14. Pike, Naomi (February 26, 2018). ""This Is Bigger Than Me" - Anok Yai On Being The First Black Model To Open Prada In 20 Years". vogue.co.uk.
  15. "Anok Yai - Model". MODELS.com. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  16. "Anok Yai - Gallery with 100 editorials - Fashion Model | Models | The FMD | Page 9". The FMD - FashionModelDirectory.com. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  17. March, Bridget (August 8, 2018). "Anok Yai On Making Fashion and Beauty History". CR Fashion Book.
  18. Singer, Maya (August 5, 2021). "Generation America: The Models Changing an Industry". Vogue.
  19. "Lil Yachty Shares The Bizarre 'Say Something' Video". UPROXX. January 29, 2023. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  20. Street, Chloe (January 27, 2023). "Mugler's all-star cast serve highly-sexed attitude in Paris". Evening Standard. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  21. Cary, Alice (March 3, 2023). "Naomi Campbell Reminded Everyone What "Supermodel" Means at Paris Fashion Week". Vogue. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  22. "Anok Yai - Model". MODELS.com. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  23. Lai, Gladys (May 1, 2023). "Met Gala 2023: The Best Dressed Supermodels". Vogue Australia.
  24. "Anok Yai Knows How to Deliver a Model Off-Duty Look". W Magazine. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  25. "Top 50 Models". models.com. Archived from the original on January 19, 2019. A chance encounter at Howard Homecoming was all new face Anok Yai needed to be the viral talk of the town.The Sudanese muse was the first black model to open Prada since Naomi Campbell in 1997 and has been in 4 of their ad campaigns. Fendi and Alexander Wang campaigns, editorials in British Vogue and Vogue Italia, plus single model covers for Dazed, i-D, Purple have Anok waving down to us all from the stratosphere. The icing on the cake in 2018 was of course her joining the Estee Lauder family as one of their newest ambassadors.
  26. Walsh, Savannah (December 30, 2020). "Saint Laurent's New Short Film Will Transport You to Summer '21". ELLE. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
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