From a Sudanese Refugee Camp to TIME's 100 Most Influential People in the World: The Extraordinary Rise of Anok Yai

A Name the World Now Knows
TIME magazine revealed its 2026 TIME100 list of the 100 most influential people in the world on April 15, 2026 and among the visionaries in fashion, visual, literary, and culinary arts recognized on that prestigious list was model Anok Yai. For a woman whose life began in the shadow of genocide and displacement, the honour represents one of the most remarkable journeys in the history of fashion.

Anok Yai attended the TIME100 Gala celebrating the 100 most influential people in the world, at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center on Thursday, April 23, 2026, in New York gliding into a room filled with world leaders, tech titans, and cultural icons, her presence as commanding as ever.

The Woman Behind the Icon
Anok Yai was born on December 20, 1997, in Cairo, Egypt, after her family fled genocide in Sudan. She comes from a Dinka Christian family. When she was just three years old, her family moved to Manchester, New Hampshire, in the United States.

Far from the glamour of international runways, Anok grew up in New England, quietly building a life that bore no obvious signs of what was to come. She graduated from Manchester High School West and attended Plymouth State University studying biochemistry, fully intending to become a doctor. The fashion world was not on her radar until a single photograph changed everything.

Yai was discovered in October 2017 during Howard University's homecoming week by professional photographer Steve 'theSUNK' Hall, who asked to take her picture. That photograph went viral almost instantly, and within weeks, the biochemistry student had become the most talked-about new face in the global fashion industry.

Making History on the Prada Runway
A few months after her discovery, she made history when she opened the Prada runway show, becoming the second Black model and the first of South Sudanese descent to do so since Naomi Campbell opened the same runway in 1997. In one season, a student who had never professionally modeled had placed herself in the company of one of the greatest models to ever walk the earth.

From that moment, the fashion world never let her go. She has made several appearances on Vogue covers, including American Vogue three times. She has walked for the most coveted fashion houses on the planet, gracing the runways of Paris, Milan, New York, and London season after season.

By 2026, Anok is still among the most searched-for models and represents what the fashion industry calls "the new standard of elegance in high fashion and the new standard of editorial power."

A Moment of Vulnerability That Made Her Stronger
What sets Anok Yai apart from many of her contemporaries is not merely her extraordinary physical presence it is her courage and humanity. At the height of her career, she made the brave decision to step back from the industry to prioritise her health and wellbeing, resisting the relentless pressure that drives many models to breaking point.

Her decision to step back to take care of her health was powerful. Her return feels grounded and intentional, which only adds to her strength and influence. In an industry notorious for consuming its stars, Anok chose herself and returned more formidable than before.

Chanel Iman Pays Tribute
Fellow supermodel and TIME100 tribute writer Chanel Iman captured the essence of Anok's influence beautifully. She wrote: "What stood out was her calm, striking confidence; it felt powerful without trying too hard. Her ability to seem both timeless and modern sets her apart as a model. She brings depth to images and doesn't just model clothes she elevates them. She follows in the footsteps of Naomi Campbell and Alek Wek, continuing their legacy while also redefining it for a new generation. The industry is more inclusive than before, but there's still progress to be made. Anok is definitely part of that shift her success has real impact, not just visibility."

The TIME100 Gala Look: Bold, Architectural, Unforgettable
True to form, Anok Yai did not simply attend the TIME100 Gala she commanded it. She marked the moment in custom Ashi Studio Couture Spring/Summer 2026 a sculpted corseted gown crafted from rich green croc leather, bringing texture and structure together in a way that felt bold yet precise. It hugged in all the right places, delivering that signature high-fashion edge with an almost architectural finish. She paired the look with a sleek middle-part bussdown, keeping the hair clean and polished to let the outfit take centre stage.

It was the look of a woman who knows exactly who she is and has earned every inch of her space in that room.

A Legacy Woven from Pain and Triumph
Inspired by global icons like Adut Akech another South Sudanese model who took her identity as a refugee and turned it into a crown Anok Yai represents the vanguard of a generation of African models who are not merely walking runways, but rewriting what beauty, power, and influence look like on the world stage.

South Sudan's impact on global fashion is already visible. Nine of the world's top 50 models ranked by models.com are originally from the country a remarkable statistic that speaks to both the depth of its talent and the hunger of its youth to be seen. Anok Yai stands at the very pinnacle of that movement.

More Than a Model
TIME Editor in Chief Sam Jacobs wrote of the 2026 list: "There is no single metric that defines influence. Our selections are led by the stories that are shaping the world each year and the people who write them."

By that measure, Anok Yai's story is one of the most powerful on the entire list. Born to a family fleeing genocide. Raised in a small American city. Discovered by accident at a university homecoming. Rose to become a global fashion icon. Stepped away to protect her health. Returned stronger. And now, recognized as one of the 100 most influential people on the planet.

From the ashes of Sudan's tragedy, Anok Yai built a crown and placed it, with quiet dignity, upon her own head.

Mustapha Bature Sallama.
Medical/ Science Communicator,
Private Investigator, Criminal investigation and Intelligence Analysis.
International Conflict Management and Peace Building.USIP
mustysallama@gmail.com
+233-555-275-880

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