Anok Yai has undeniably made a significant impact on the modeling industry, though she remains humble about it. The 27-year-old supermodel, born in Cairo, Egypt, has navigated a challenging journey to become a trailblazer, gracing the world’s most prestigious runways, representing top global brands, and now earning the coveted cover of Harper’s Bazaar.
Reflecting on her early years in the industry, Yai recalls a time when the beauty standard didn’t align with her appearance. “When I first started, the beauty standard was the opposite of who I am,” she explains. “I remember being on sets and seeing models who didn’t look like me, and I knew they were considered the ideal. I decided then that I was going to make myself fit that standard.”
Without mentors who looked like her, Yai faced emotional challenges, particularly related to her hair. She remembers a time when many assumed her long hair was a weave. “I lost 10 inches of my hair six months into my career,” Yai reveals. “I would be on set, and the hairstylist would ask if I knew how to straighten my hair. I’d say no, because I had never straightened it before, and the hairstylist would admit they didn’t know either. So we would turn to YouTube tutorials to figure it out.”
Yai found herself constantly bringing her own hair products and makeup to set, a stark contrast to her fellow models, who simply showed up ready for work. In an effort to preserve her hair and assert her identity, she decided to wear it in its natural forms—either in an Afro or cornrows. “I did it to protect my hair and to push for the acceptance of Black hair on the runway,” she explains. “Backstage, there would be signs saying, ‘Don’t touch Anok’s hair,’ and other Black models would ask, ‘How did you do that? I want to walk the show with cornrows or an Afro too.’”
Over time, Yai’s bold choices encouraged more Black models to embrace their natural hair. “Eventually, most of the Black models were wearing Afros or cornrows, and I knew I had made a difference,” she says with satisfaction. “At that point, I felt like I had done my job.”
Yai’s journey has not only reshaped beauty standards but has also paved the way for future generations of models, establishing her as a true industry pioneer.
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