A transgender star was last night awarded Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards in London - squeezing out five women who had been shortlisted for the accolade.
Alex Consani was given the title at a glittering ceremony in a category previously won by Kate Moss, Georgia May Jagger and Cara Delevigne.
The 21-year-olds victory comes amid the BFC increasingly shortlisting a number of fashion names from LGBTQ and other underrepresented groups for its awards.
Only last year, black trans model Kai-Isaiah Jamal, who came out as a trans man in 2014, narrowly missed out after being pipped at the post by plus-size model Paloma Elsesser.
Consani, who is 6-foot, started modelling in 2015 and is known for having distinctive bleached hair and and eyebrows.
The California-born star wore a ripped Union Flag dress by Turkish-British designer Dilara Findikoglu during the award acceptance speech and used the opportunity to honour multiple black transgender women such as model Connie Fleming who really fought for the space.. that allowed me to flourish today.
The other fashion stars who had been nominated were British model Alva Claire, Los Angeles-born Amelia Gray, Anok Yai - from South Sudan, Liu Wen, from China and Mona Tougaard - born to Danish-Turkish and Somali-Ethiopian parents.
Yai voiced her support on social media following Consanis victory after many fans had tipped her - the second black model after Naomi Campbell to open a Prada show - for the win.
Alex Consani is seen arriving at The Fashion Awards 2024. The 21-year-olds victory comes amid the BFC increasingly shortlisting a number of fashion names from LGBTQ and other underrepresented groups for its awards
Shortlisted (L-R): Mona Tougaard and Anok Yai. Tougaard was born to Danish-Turkish and Somali-Ethiopian parents and Yai is from South Sudan
Alex Consani was given the title at a glittering ceremony in a category previously won by Kate Moss , Georgia May Jagger and Cara Delevigne
The South Sudanese model said: If you have seen the effort that I’ve seen Alex put in; you would understand how proud I am of her. But Alex can be proud and I can be exhausted at the same time. It doesn’t take away how much love we have for each other.
The British Fashion Council (BFC) says the Model of the Year award recognises the global impact of a model who over the last 12 months has dominated the industry.
It added: With an influence that transcends the catwalk, the Model of The Year has made an outstanding contribution to the industry, garnering numerous editorial and advertising campaigns throughout the year.
The council is perhaps best known for its bi-annual London Fashion Week held routinely each February and September.
It typically showcases the work of over 250 international designers and engages a worldwide audience.
Alex Consani poses backstage at The Fashion Awards 2024 presented by Pandora at Royal Albert Hall on December 2
Shortlisted models (L-R): Amelia Gray, Liu Wen and Alva Claire
And news of the historic British Fashion Awards win comes after Consani also made history in October, becoming the first trans model along with Valentina Sampaio to appear on the runway at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.
The in-demand fashion stars whirlwind career has most recently included walking in around 20 shows for the fall/winter 2024 fashion season, being courted by some of the most high-profile fashion houses and haute couture brands like Marc Jacobs and Mugler.
The BFC and a representative of Alex Consani have been contacted for comment.