At some point, we have all desired something very deeply only to not end up getting it. It’s part of the human experience. Most of us, however, have been raised with a straightforward rule— a social contract so to speak: when you lose something you wanted to win, you don’t make a scene about it. Not in public, at least.
Alex Consani recently made history as the first transgender woman to win the “Model of the Year” title at the British Fashion Council’s yearly award show. This prestigious honor has been granted to legendary supermodels such as Naomi Campbell, Gigi Hadid, Kate Moss, and Shalom Harlow.
Consani had some of the best few years someone in the modeling industry could ever dream of. By day, she captured audiences as a hilarious TikTok personality, and by night, she dominated the runway with her fierce presence. Her blazing catwalk catapulted her into the limelight, making history as the first transgender model to grace Victoria’s Secret’s highly anticipated 2024 comeback show.
It came as no surprise to the modeling community that she was a frontrunner amongst the shortlisted nominees for the “Model of the Year” award. Alongside her included candidates such as Alva Claire, Amelia Gray, Liu Wen, Mona Tougaard, and Anok Yai.
Yai, widely regarded as the favorite to win in 2023, shocked the world when she lost to American model and body-positive advocate Paloma Elsesser, whose groundbreaking win highlighted the industry’s evolving standards of beauty.
Yai had an extraordinary run in 2023, earning widespread acclaim as one of the best-dressed stars at the Karl Lagerfeld-themed Met Gala. Her striking silhouettes graced the covers of countless Vogue editions worldwide, and she captivated audiences with every runway she dominated, solidifying her status as a true fashion icon.
The backlash to the British Fashion Council’s 2023 decision was inevitable—Yai had outshined Elsesser in nearly every category typically considered by voters.
The Council’s 2024 decision, however, tells a different story. Choosing to award Consani sent a powerful message to the world and the modeling industry alike: a recognition of evolving representation and a celebration of breaking boundaries. The decision signaled a commitment to inclusivity and the diversification of beauty standards in an industry that has long upheld rigid norms.
This isn’t the first time the Council has embraced a progressive choice, but it stands out as one of the rare moments where the decision felt rooted in genuine respect for the honoree, rather than as a performative gesture to appear inclusive. By recognizing Alex Consani, the British Fashion Council demonstrated an authentic appreciation for her talent, influence, and the barriers she’s broken, rather than simply making a symbolic statement.
Consani’s win may have been unexpected to some, but it was the reaction from the typically composed Anok Yai that truly caught everyone off guard.
Yai took to Instagram mere minutes after the announcements and uploaded a picture of the controversial moment from the 2009 VMAs when Kanye West stormed to the stage during Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech for “Best Music Video” to proclaim that Beyonce should have won. Many took this cryptic message as her belief that she was once again overlooked by the Council.
This expression of her disappointment, however, seemed to backfire, as it quickly unleashed a wave of transphobia toward Consani, less than an hour after she delivered her acceptance speech.
Consani, unaware of the predicament she would soon find herself in, expressed gratitude for trailblazers like Dominique Jackson and Connie Fleming, acknowledging the path paved by Black trans women in particular. “I’m the first trans woman to win this award,” she said, “but I can’t accept it without honoring those who came before me. Now more than ever, we must talk about how to uplift one another in this industry.”
At that point, Yai’s post had spread across every major social media platform, sparking intense reactions from both her supporters and those who were critical of a transgender model receiving the award. Yai later took to X (formerly Twitter) to clarify her distaste, posting, “Alex, I love you and I’m proud of you. British Fashion Council, thank you but I don’t want it anymore.” In a follow-up, she added, “If you’ve seen the effort Alex has put in, you’d understand how proud I am of her. But Alex can be proud, and I can be exhausted at the same time. It doesn’t diminish the love we have for each other.”
However, the damage had already been done. The controversy surrounding her post had already sparked heated debates and backlash, overshadowing the moment meant to celebrate Consani’s historic achievement.
Her reaction raised an important question: did Yai truly deserve the award for her 2024 performance, or was the desire for it fueled by a sense of injustice over her 2023 snub, with her and her fans seeking a form of compensation?