Who is Anok Yai
Anok Yai, at 19 years old, became a sensation overnight after being photographed at a Howard University homecoming. Just one photo of her with a black turtleneck and denim shorts drew thousands of followers and messages from modeling agencies. Her raw gorgeous beauty caught everyone's attention, and within 24 hours, her phone rang with life-changing opportunities.
Yai was born in Cairo, Egypt, in 1997. Her family relocated to Manchester, New Hampshire when she was three. Yai graduated from Manchester High School West and pursued an education in biochemistry at Plymouth State University to pursue a career in medicine. Living in New Hampshire, she was always noticed. Anok has always been interested in fashion and has aspired to be a model since she was a child. She admired models like Naomi Campbell and Grace Jones and also enjoyed watching America's Next Top Model. Anok wanted to work in the fashion industry but was discouraged since she could not afford to travel to New York.
While still at Plymouth State, in 2017 Yai attended Howard University's homecoming, where she had her picture taken by professional photographer Steve 'theSUNK' Hall. After he posted the image on Instagram, it quickly surpassed 20,000 likes. Numerous modeling agencies sought Anok, and she was then flown to New York to meet with Next Model Management and was signed that same day.
In just a year after signing, Yai became the first Black model to open a Prada show, following Naomi Campbell in 1997. In 2018, Anok opened her first show at Prada's autumn-winter women's ready-to-wear show in Milan. It was a historic event because no Black woman had done so in twenty years. She had a solid foundation for a successful career and made an excellent first impression. Despite her desire to continue her education, she decided to put it on hold at that time in order to fully pursue a modeling career and learn everything she could about the industry as a whole. She has since appeared on the covers of both American and British Vogue. As Yai was taking test pictures, and the British Vogue cover was one of them, she didn't want to raise her expectations because they could either use shoot cover tests or not. However, seeing herself on the cover surprised her and made her very excited.
Anok had a rapid rise to success right after signing to a modeling agency. The South Sudanese American has sealed many collaborations, including Versace, Fendi, Burberry, Chanel, Mugler, Valentino, and so many more. In 2018, Yai starred in an advertisement for a S/S Nike, Riccardo Tisci, and Minotaurs collaboration. In July 2018, she signed on as an Estée Lauder spokesmodel. In December 2018, she appeared in an advertising campaign for Alexander Wang's "Collection 1" Drop 2. Yai co-starred with Adut Akech and Alton Mason in a Chanel-Pharrell Collection short film released in 2019. In Yai's most recent collaboration, In 2020, Yai featured in the Versace Resort "Flash 2021" campaign. She appears in the Alexander McQueen F/W 2020 campaign. Last year, she starred on a Vogue homage cover of Karl Lagerfeld. Yai also debuted with her first Mugler runway appearance during Paris Fashion Week. After she attended the 2023 Met Gala in custom Prabal Gurung, Vogue Australia ranked her as one of the "best-dressed supermodels". Yai kicked off 2024 walking for the Louis Vuitton Men's F/W show during Paris Fashion Week. And In February, she premiered as the face of Mugler's newest fragrance Alien Hypersense.
Anok, now a signed model, aims for more than just ads and covers. What she's searching for is an opportunity to modify people's perceptions, particularly those about beauty. Like many other black models, she suffered initially with hairstylists who were unable to straighten her hair and makeup artists who did not have the correct shade. During her early career, Yai refused to do any shows or photoshoots with straight hair. Going against the carbon-copy beauty standard familiar to the runway, she told them it was either afros, cornrows, or nothing. She always used the heavy influence of social media to advocate for not just herself but many other women who can identify with her. Anok was never comfortable taking a backseat and allowing others to make career decisions for her. Although casting directors and stylists typically determine what models wear, Yai's experience was quite different. She had a say in what she wore, and to their surprise, the designers approved. The faith placed in her throughout the years has contributed to her being such a popular and appealing model, which we are still seeing today.
Modeling is seen as just the beginning for Anok. With being only 26 years old and being one of the most sought-after models in the last 5 years, she still has a lot to do and a lot of room to develop even bigger than she is today. Yai has a strong interest in styling and creative directing for shoots, and she has enjoyed the amount of creative control she’s had in her work. In addition to her overall love of art, she also finished her artist residency at Kehinde Wiley's Black Rock Senegal. In an interview with W Magazine in 2023, Yok stated, “I’m at a place now where I want to create my own lane,” says Yai. “I don’t know exactly what that is, but I know I want it to be different from anything anyone has ever seen. I’m focused on competing with myself and pushing my boundaries as far as they can go.”
It will be exciting to see what Anok's future holds, beyond her modeling profession. Not only is she an immigrant, and an advocate for black creatives, but her success has permitted her to make a significant impact in the fashion business and on social media as a successful dark-skinned model, motivating other young black-aspiring artists.