Anok Yai On Making History In The Modelling World

It was announced last week that Anok Yai, an Egyptian-born American model of Sudanese descent, had been signed by Estée Lauder as a global spokesmodel.

Joining the beauty brand’s squad of supermodels including Kendall Jenner, Karlie Kloss and Joan Smalls, the 20-year-old, naturally, is very excited about the news.

“To be a woman of colour representing an iconic brand that has continuously been at the forefront of beauty, is an honour,” she said. “I hope to be an inspiration to young girls and women and encourage them to feel undeniably beautiful.”

Yai recently made headlines for being the first black model to open Prada's Fashion Week Show in 20 years, the first being Naomi Campbell in 1998. Interestingly, it was the British supermodel, Yai explains, that inspired her to become a model since seeing her walk in the 2003 Victoria's Secret fashion show.

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“I don’t know how to describe what she was wearing—it was jewels, and she had her hair up in a high ponytail, and I think she opened a certain section of the show,” Yai recalls. “I saw that she was dark-skinned, and I saw how powerful she was and how successful her career had been, and it just inspired me to want to be like her.”

Ironically, little did Yai know when she hit the Prada catwalk in February this year that she was following in the footsteps – literally – of her role model. “I didn’t even realise that I was only the second black woman until after I walked and I was interviewed about it after the show,” she said. “It was an honour to have been a part of history—and to know the first was Naomi made me so happy—but I am also happy I made it down the runway without falling!”

Crossing over into beauty is a whole new challenge for the 20-year-old. “Fashion requires not only great facial expression,” she explains, “but amazing body movements, whereas beauty requires control of the face.”

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Model Joan Smalls, Yai’s fellow Estée Lauder ambassadress, too followed a similar path. “Seeing Joan Smalls included as a face inspired me, and now knowing I can work with her and with the entire Estée Lauder team is surreal.”

Yai’s first campaign for the beauty giant is fronting the cult Double Wear Make-up range, at a time where the brand's foundation shade range has expanded to 61 shades. Undeniably good news for women of colour.

“In the past I could never find the right shade,” Yai explains. “Walking into an average store, it would be so many lighter shades, and then maybe like three options for black women. But black is a very broad spectrum!” Now finally, she says, there are two foundation options that work for her – which is “amazing”.

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An inspiration herself, Yai's followers and colleagues are looking forward to see what the future holds for Yai and how else she'll help shape the face of the industry.

This article originally appeared on Harper's BAZAAR UK.