By Dara Clariza Evangelista
The Fashion Awards 2025 at the Royal Albert Hall delivered spectacle, emotion, and a spotlight on the people shaping today’s global style conversation. At the center of it all was Jonathan Anderson, who marked a milestone moment in his career, and Anok Yai, whose acceptance speech became the emotional pulse of the night.
Jonathan Anderson closed the ceremony with a historic third consecutive Designer of the Year win, and his first under his new role at Dior. It’s a rare achievement even by fashion’s high-pressure standards, and one that underscores the industry’s confidence in his ability to reinterpret legacy houses while pushing design forward. Onstage, Anderson kept it characteristically brief, thanking Dior and calling the role “a massive challenge,” but also one built on collaboration. It was a moment that quietly signaled a new era for the storied French house under his leadership.
Images taken from Dior’s Website
If Anderson represented the night’s creative triumph, Anok Yai delivered its defining message. Crowned Model of the Year, the Sudanese-American supermodel accepted the award through tears, sharing that she was once told her career would last only six months. She laughed softly before adding, “It’s been a long six months, huh?” and then shifted into something deeper.
Speaking directly to young Black girls, she said, “Your color is not a curse. You are more powerful than you can imagine.” It was one of the evening’s most resonant moments, reaffirming Yai’s influence not just as a model, but as a voice shaping representation across fashion.
Left: Getty Images: Right: Image taken from Anok Yai’s Instagram Account
The rest of the night moved with its usual mix of performances and glamour, but there was a sense that the biggest stories were unfolding in real time: Anderson stepping fully into his Dior era, and Yai cementing her place as one of fashion’s most important faces today. Together, their wins captured the spirit of an industry still driven by artistry, identity, and the power of reinvention.
Other Winners of the Night
- Designer of the Year: Jonathan Anderson
- British Womenswear Designer of the Year: Sarah Burton
- British Menswear Designer of the Year: Grace Wales Bonner
- The Vanguard Award: Dilara Findikoglu
- Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator: Rei Kawakubo, Adrian Joffe, Dickon Bowden
- Model of the Year: Anok Yai
- Special Recognition Awards: Delphine Arnault; 15 Years of BFC Fashion Trust (Tania Fares)
- Outstanding Achievement Award: Brunello Cucinelli
- 25 Years of Fashion East: Lulu Kennedy and Raphaelle Moore
- Cultural Innovator Award: Little Simz
- Pandora Style Moment of the Year: Sam Woolf
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