Alex Consani becomes first trans Model of the Year

Model Alex Consani has become the first trans woman to be awarded Model of the Year, after making a series of notable runway appearances for brands like Chanel, Stella McCartney, and Victoria’s Secret.

The sought-after 21-year-old, recognised for her distinctive bleached hair and eyebrows, received the title at the 2024 Fashion Awards held in London on Monday night, according to ‘CNN’.

In her acceptance speech at the Royal Albert Hall, Consani addressed a star-studded audience, expressing that her achievement represents a “big step in the right direction.”

“Now, more than ever, it’s an important conversation that should be had about how to truly support and uplift one another within this industry, especially those who have been made to feel insignificant,” she continued, drawing cheers from the crowd, after receiving her award from model and body activist Ashley Graham and “Baby Reindeer” star Nava Mau.

“Because change is more than possible — it’s needed.”

Having signed with IMG Models in 2019, the agency that represents supermodels like Claudia Schiffer, Hailey Bieber, and the Hadid sisters, Consani gained prominence on TikTok, where she now has nearly 4 million followers. She debuted on the catwalk for Tom Ford in 2021 and has since walked for esteemed labels such as Alexander McQueen and Versace.

In October, Consani and Valentina Sampaio made history as the first trans models to feature on the runway at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.

Dressed in a ripped Union Flag outfit by Turkish-British designer Dilara Findikoglu, the California-native used her speech to honour Black trans women, such as fellow models Connie Fleming and Aaron Rose Philip, for “really fighting for the space … that allowed me to flourish today.” She also acknowledged her parents for their support of her modeling dreams.

The Model of the Year accolade, recognising the “global impact” of someone who has “dominated the industry” over the past year, is determined by a combination of an industry panel's opinions and public votes, according to the British Fashion Council. Last year, Black trans model Kai-Isaiah Jamal was nominated for the award, which was eventually won by plus-size model Paloma Elsesser.

At Monday’s event, Jonathan Anderson, creative director of Loewe and founder of JW Anderson, took home the Designer of the Year award for the second year in a row. Tom Ford was honoured with the Outstanding Achievement Award, presented by Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour.

The glamorous ceremony, featuring performances by Blondie’s Debbie Harry and Afrobeats star Wizkid, brought together major fashion industry influencers and stars from the entertainment, music, and sports worlds, including Rita Ora and Venus Williams. Rihanna also attended, sporting a striking blue furry hat, as her partner A$AP Rocky received the Cultural Innovator Award.

Awards for the best British menswear and womenswear designers went to Grace Wales Bonner and Simone Rocha, respectively. Rocha’s acceptance speech was notably political, as she advocated to “free Palestine.”

Earlier in the evening, an animal rights activist disrupted the red carpet to protest the fashion industry’s use of feathers, shortly after London Fashion Week announced that it will be the first of the “big four” fashion weeks to ban exotic animal skins on its runways.