Anok Yai was born on December 20, 1997, in Cairo, Egypt, to parents who had fled the civil war in Sudan. Her family, who are Christian, relocated to Cairo after escaping the conflict in Sudan. When she was three years old, in 2000, she moved with her family to Manchester, New Hampshire, in the United States, where she spent her childhood and teenage years.

Anok Yai grew up in Manchester and graduated from Manchester High School West. With aspirations of becoming a doctor, she enrolled in the biochemistry program at Plymouth State University. Her mother works as a nurse, her father is a healthcare worker at Easterseals, and her sister Alim Yai serves as her manager and financial advisor.

The turning point in Anok Yai’s life came in 2017 during Howard University’s Homecoming week, at a music festival known as YardFest. A street-style photographer operating under the Instagram account TheSunk photographed her with her consent and shared the images online. Within just two days, the photos went viral, and her Instagram following surged from 150 to 50,000. Modeling agencies quickly began reaching out, and she ultimately signed with Next Models, opening the door to a professional modeling career.

In 2018, Anok Yai made history by becoming the second Black model—after Naomi Campbell in 1997—to open a Prada runway show. This milestone firmly established her as a rising force in high fashion. She has since walked the runway for major fashion houses including Versace, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Burberry, Max Mara, and Mugler.

Beyond the runway, Anok Yai has appeared in advertising campaigns for global brands such as Tiffany & Co., Nike, Hood by Air, and Ambush. She has been featured on the covers of numerous international editions of Vogue—including three American Vogue covers—as well as i-D, a British magazine dedicated to fashion, music, art, film, and youth culture.

In September 2021, Anok Yai appeared on the cover of Vogue alongside models such as Ariel Nicholson, Bella Hadid, and Kaia Gerber. In February 2022, she was featured on the cover of British Vogue as part of an all-Black cast of models. In 2023, she appeared on a special Vogue cover dedicated to Karl Lagerfeld, photographed by Annie Leibovitz. In 2024, she walked in the Louis Vuitton Men’s Fall/Winter show during Paris Fashion Week.

Recognized for both her influence and impact, Anok Yai was named one of this generation’s “New Supers” by Models.com. In 2023, she was voted “Model of the Year” by both industry professionals and fans. Continuing this momentum, she won the prestigious “Model of the Year” award at the British Fashion Council’s 2025 Fashion Awards in London in December 2025.

Today, Anok Yai stands as one of the most prominent figures in contemporary fashion, celebrated not only for her striking presence on the runway but also for her role in advancing diversity and representation within the global fashion industry.

Source: Biyografiler.com