Anok Yai is in contention for Model of the Year at the Fashion Awards later this winter, but her slick off-duty style is proving to be in a league of its own. From New York to Paris, Yai brought along some impressive pieces to Fashion Month that were a youthful refresh of late ’90s and 2000s model style.
Before Yai officially ended her Paris Fashion Week on Coperni’s Disneyland runway last night, she headed to Balenciaga’s spring 2025 show as a front row guest. She channeled the late aughts in more ways than one, wearing jean leggings that morphed into boots and the brand’s cult-favorite “City” bag. Later in the evening, Yai slipped into some slink party attire. She wore a plunging white top (which she left hanging below from the inside of her hot pants) and sheer stockings with peep-toe shoes.
Yai’s off-duty style is of course referential to the era of Naomi, Linda, and Cindy. But its done so with a modern edge, whether that be from something like her rockstar fur stole or black-out glasses.
Yai kicked off her fashion month in New York (where she rocked some gravity-defying heels and leg warmers) before jetting over to Europe. In between her Milan shows, Yai joined her fellow model pals at a Versace after party where she channeled peak ’90s Gianni. She wore a cheetah and Versace medusa print top and mustard yellow hot pants. Yai also nodded to the sheer trend with a fully see-through naked dress and even tried out some power dressing for a Mugler event where she went shirtless below a crushed velvet coat.
Yai’s off-duty style wasn’t the only thing making waves this fashion month. The model had one of the more memorable walks of the season as she closed the Vetements show. After getting caught in her wedding dress, she quickly improvised her regular walk into that of a runaway bride.
“The moment I entered the runway my heel repeatedly got caught,” she wrote on Instagram. “Had no choice but [to] pick up the dress [and] walk—all elegance & grace out the window. I had a moment of panic knowing how bad the walk was going. I needed to come up [with] a way to make it appear as if all my ‘mistakes’ were on purpose. I decided to go from elegant to defiant bride, hoping the character switch would work.”
