Models.com Announces the Model of the Year 2025 Winners
Models.com announced the results of its annual Model of the Year Awards for 2025, reflecting the votes of hundreds of industry professionals as well as an online public vote. This year, Top 50 model Awar Odhiang earned the Industry’s pick for Model of the Year (Women), after a breakout year of blue-chip campaigns and runway dominance. On the men’s side, British model Kit Butler was crowned Model of the Year (Men) by the Industry panel. In the Readers’ Choice tallies, fashion favorite Anok Yai and runway showman Alton Mason took the top Model of the Year honors for women and men, respectively. The Breakout Star awards – recognizing newer faces with surging success – went to Jacqui Hooper (Industry’s Vote, Women+) and a tie between Yura Romaniuk and Chinese model Bai (Industry’s Vote, Men+). Meanwhile, the public gave Breakout accolades to Chinese model Jiahui Zhang and Sudanese newcomer Badhiel Lony Nyang. Notably, Alex Consani, New Super and TikTok personality, swept both Industry and Readers’ polls for Social Mover of the Year for her transgender advocacy and inclusive impact. In a newly added category bridging digital media and fashion, TikTok creator Lyas was named Content Creator of the Year by Industry voters, while Olandria Carthen, the viral Love Island alum, won the Readers’ vote in that category. For personal style, Models.com’s Street Style awards went to supermodel Mona Tougaard and top male model Xu Meen as the Industry’s Vote winners, with model Mathilda Gvarliani and influencer-model Calum Harper winning the public vote for their off-duty fashion flair. Finally, a Lifetime Achievement honor was bestowed upon Iman, the legendary Somali-born supermodel whose 50-year career, from trailblazing Yves Saint Laurent muse to cosmetics entrepreneur, has left an indelible mark on the industry.
Models.com’s Industry Access: Does Fashion Still Know What Women Want?
Models.com hosted its latest Industry Access conversation Monday night at Soho Works, convening an engaged audience for a timely discussion on fashion’s evolving relationship with women. In a year defined by designer entrances and exits, the industry finds itself at a critical crossroads—runways increasingly driven by spectacle and virality, body diversity slipping, cultural politics reshaping ideals, and consumers growing more discerning than ever. Moderated by Irene Ojo-Felix, the evening brought together two voices at the center of how fashion is imagined, interrogated, and made visible: Vanessa Friedman, Fashion Director and Chief Fashion Critic at The New York Times, and Rachel Scott, Creative Director of Diotima and Proenza Schouler. Together, the conversation explored where desire, representation, design, and reality collide—and ultimately, where women fit within the images and garments shaping fashion at this moment.
Matchesfashion Set for Relaunch Under New Luxury Group Hulcan
The intellectual property of defunct luxury e-tailer Matchesfashion and its in-house label Raey have been acquired by a new luxury group called Hulcan, founded by Joe Wilkinson and Mario Maher. Two years after Matchesfashion’s collapse, the new owners plan to relaunch the site in 2026 with a revamped business model focused on innovation and community. Investors in Hulcan, which has secured $150 million, is backed by heavyweights like LVMH Luxury Ventures, the Hermès family, and Frasers Group, signaling confidence in Hulcan’s vision. As co-founder Wilkinson put it, “This is a big moment for us. We’re bringing brands, media, and technology together into one ecosystem built for the future of luxury… We want to shape how people discover, experience, and connect with brands.” The Hulcan team is also taking over Matches’ fashion line Raey, aiming to preserve Matches’ heritage while evolving it into a modern omnichannel experience under their new luxury ecosystem. [BoF]
Pat McGrath Labs Assets Acquired by Hilco Global
One of fashion’s most influential beauty brands has reached a turning point as Hilco Global has acquired the intellectual property and remaining inventory of Pat McGrath Labs following the brand’s quiet commercial decline. Launched in 2015, the line translated Pat McGrath’s unparalleled runway and editorial legacy into consumer beauty, becoming a category-defining force known for its artistry, innovation, and cultural impact. The asset sale signals a sobering moment for the beauty industry, underscoring how even founder-led brands with immense creative authority face mounting pressure amid shifting retail dynamics, oversaturation, and changing consumer behavior. While McGrath’s influence remains undiminished (she has already pivoted to a new high-profile role as beauty creative director for Louis Vuitton’s forthcoming makeup line), the future of her eponymous label now sits at a crossroads, marking the end of an era and raising questions about what longevity looks like for artist-driven beauty brands today. [WWD]
Paris Men’s Fashion Week Calendar Takes Shape
Paris Fashion Week Men’s has unveiled its Fall/Winter 2026 provisional schedule set to be held January 20–25, 2026, highlighting a lineup of 35 runway shows and 32 presentations. The week will feature a major farewell as Hermès’s longtime men’s designer Véronique Nichanian takes her final bow after 37 years. It’s also a season of sophomore outings with Jonathan Anderson’s second Dior Men show and Julian Klausner’s second at Dries Van Noten on the agenda, alongside big hitters like Louis Vuitton, Rick Owens, Sacai, and American designer Willy Chavarria. Notably, Kenzo will forego a traditional runway in favor of an immersive presentation inside founder Kenzo Takada’s Paris home, transforming the space into a multi-sensory experience curated by Nigo . Some houses are skipping the season altogether as Loewe announced it will present menswear in a co-ed show in March under new directors Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, returning to a dedicated men’s show next June. New faces on the official schedule include Jeanne Friot – known for designing the Joan of Arc costume in the Paris 2024 Olympics opening – who makes her runway debut, and Magliano, fresh off an LVMH prize win. After seasons off-calendar, Simon Porte Jacquemus again closes out Paris men’s week with a co-ed spectacle, titled “Le Palmier”, that neatly transitions into Couture Week.
London Fashion Week Fall 2026 Provisional Schedule Released
London Fashion Week also unveiled its Fall/Winter 2026 provisional schedule from February 19–23, 2026, and it’s marked by homecomings for several British brands. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Temperley London is returning to the LFW runway for the first time since 2019. Designer Julien Macdonald also stages a comeback, having last shown in February 2023. Heritage label Joseph rejoins the schedule after a eight-year hiatus, now under creative director Mario Arena, who says returning to the runway “marks the beginning of a new chapter” for the house. They’ll appear alongside mainstays like Burberry, Emilia Wickstead, Erdem, Richard Quinn, and Simone Rocha. Emerging talent is in the mix too, with newcomers such as Ronan Mckenzie’s Selasi made-to-order line, womenswear label Agro Studio, accessory designer Clara Chu, and Afro-contemporary menswear brand Gravalot making their LFW debuts. BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund winner Conner Ives will take to the runway, while Chopova Lowena will host a presentation. Absent this season are a few familiar names like Roksanda and Huishan Zhang. The British Fashion Council is using incentives to boost participation and global exposure, continuing to waive show fees for designers and doubling investment in its international guest program to draw more press and buyers to London.
Abbey Lee Makes Her Broadway Debut
Industry icon Abbey Lee is expanding her creative trajectory with a New York stage debut in Blackout Songs, marking her first theatrical appearance in the city. Long known for her work on the runway before transitioning into film and television, with roles in Mad Max: Fury Road, The Neon Demon, and Lovecraft Country, Lee’s move into theater underscores her continued crossover appeal. The Olivier Award–nominated play by Joe White, which premiered in London in 2022, will make its U.S. debut off-Broadway at MCC Theater, running from January 15 through February 28, 2026, with opening night set for January 27. Lee stars opposite Owen Teague in the intimate, memory-driven drama, which follows two lovers who meet at an AA meeting and navigate a decade-long, on-and-off relationship shaped by addiction, recovery, and blurred emotional realities. The limited six-week engagement marks a first New York stage appearance for both leads—and for playwright White—adding a new chapter to Lee’s evolving post-runway career.
Heroes Model Management Celebrates 10 Years
HEROES Model Management marked its 10-year anniversary with a celebration at WSA in New York, bringing together a wide cross-section of models, creatives, and industry insiders. The guest list included Daria Strokous, Vivienne Rohner, Lexi Boling, Raphael Diogo, River Klein, Ange-Marie Moutambou, Elvis Candy, Desire Mia, and Johannes Huebl, alongside fashion figures such as Anita Bitton, Alex Badia, Dara, Brandon Tan, and James Bee, with VIP attendees including Theo Wenner, Chi Ossé, and Louis Garrel. The evening featured a champagne tower, sprawling dessert table, and a custom portrait artist, adding a celebratory and personal touch to the milestone. Photography by New York Times veteran Landon Nordeman alongside Jacob Azzi captured the energy of the night, marking the occasion with the same editorial rigor that has defined Heroes’ first decade.
