CNN
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American mannequin Alex Consani has turn into the primary transgender girl to win Mannequin of the Yr, following a string of high-profile runway appearances for labels like Chanel, Stella McCartney and Victoria’s Secret.
The in-demand 21-year-old, who is understood for her distinctive bleached hair and eyebrows, claimed the title on the 2024 Style Awards in London on Monday night.
In her acceptance speech, Consani informed a star-studded viewers on the Royal Albert Corridor that her victory marked a “huge step in the suitable path.”
“Now, greater than ever, it’s an necessary dialog that needs to be had about the right way to actually assist and uplift each other inside this business, particularly those that have been made to really feel insignificant,” she added, to cheers from the group, after accumulating her trophy from mannequin and physique activist Ashley Graham and “Child Reindeer” star Nava Mau.
“As a result of change is greater than doable — it’s wanted.”
Having signed with IMG Fashions (an company representing supermodels together with Claudia Schiffer, Hailey Bieber and the Hadid sisters) in 2019, Consani rose to prominence by TikTok, the place she now boasts nearly 4 million followers. She made her catwalk debut for Tom Ford in 2021 and later walked for prime labels similar to Alexander McQueen and Versace.
In October, Consani and Valentina Sampaio made historical past by turning into the primary trans fashions to look on the runway on the Victoria’s Secret Style Present.
Carrying a ripped Union Flag gown by Turkish-British designer Dilara Findikoglu, California-born Consani used her acceptance speech to honor the Black transgender girls — together with fellow fashions Connie Fleming and Aaron Rose Philip — who “actually fought for the house … that allowed me to flourish at this time.” She additionally paid tribute to her dad and mom for supporting her modeling aspirations.
Recognizing the “the worldwide impression” of somebody who has “dominated the business” within the final 12 months, the celebrated Mannequin of the Yr prize combines the opinion of an business panel with the results of a public vote, in accordance with award organizers the British Style Council. Black trans mannequin Kai-Isaiah Jamal was among the many nominees for final 12 months’s award, which was in the end received by plus-size mannequin Paloma Elsesser.
Elsewhere at Monday’s ceremony, Jonathan Anderson, inventive director of Loewe and founding father of JW Anderson, received the coveted Designer of the Yr award for the second consecutive 12 months. And Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour offered Tom Ford with the Excellent Achievement Award.
That includes performances from Blondie singer Debbie Harry and Afrobeats star Wizkid, the glitzy ceremony noticed main style business figures rub shoulders with the celebrities of leisure, music and sport, together with Rita Ora and Venus Williams. Additionally in attendance (and sporting an attention-grabbing blue furry hat) was Rihanna, whose accomplice A$AP Rocky took dwelling the Cultural Innovator Award.
Classes for the most effective British menswear and womenswear designers have been in the meantime awarded to Grace Wales Bonner and Simone Rocha, respectively. Rocha’s acceptance speech was amongst a number of political moments, as she took the stage with a name to “free Palestine.”
Earlier within the night, an animal rights demonstrator stormed the pink carpet to protest the style business’s use of feathers — simply days after London Style Week’s introduced that it’ll turn into the primary of the “huge 4” style weeks to ban unique animal skins on its runways.