A transgender-identifying man has been named Model of the Year, surpassing five female contenders at the British Fashion Awards. Alex Cosani won the title on Monday night, defeating five women, including Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell.
In his acceptance speech, the 21-year-old emphasized the alleged importance of uplifting marginalized voices. “You fought for this space that allowed me to flourish today, and I’m eternally grateful for that,” Cosani stated, calling his win a step forward.
The British Fashion Council (BFC) described the award as a recognition of a model’s global impact over the past year, including editorial and advertising contributions.
The announcement prompted varied reactions online. Some social media users questioned the fairness of a biologically male Model of the Year winner, with one commenter inquiring, “Is this fair?” Others expressed dissatisfaction with the shift in modeling standards.
Cosani has previously made headlines as one of the first biologically male transgender models on the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show runway.
The win for Cosani comes after a number of female awards for beauty have been won by transgenders, including Kataluna Enriquez, who won Miss Nevada in 2021, and Rikkie Valerie Kollé, who won the Miss Netherlands beauty competition last year.
Transgenders in women’s sports have also been nominated for awards, including swimmer Lia Thomas, who was nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year award in 2022.
Trans woman Alex Consani is crowned Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards – beating five biological females who were also shortlisted.
Is this fair? pic.twitter.com/PqhlcAugQS
— Peter Lloyd (@Suffragent_) December 3, 2024