Anok Yai on Her Unforgettable Met Gala Look, Irish Exits, and the "Weird" Perfume Ritual She Swears By

Welcome to Beauty's Night Out, a series dedicated to the need-to-know beauty conversations dominating the nightlife scene. Expect a first look at the latest trends, behind-the-scenes tutorials, and loads of going-out inspiration as you get all dolled up—all you need is your favorite playlist. This time around, we're getting a glimpse into a night out with supermodel Anok Yai, who serves as the brand ambassador and face for Mugler fragrances.

A good model is a shape-shifter. Dress them in a garment or give them a mood board, and they'll adapt their features, mannerisms, and body language to suit a high-fashion story. A living muse for major designers such as Matthieu Blazy, Daniel Roseberry, and Miuccia Prada, Anok Yai certainly meets the criteria—enough to clinch the British Fashion Council's 2025 Model of the Year award and land a spot on Time's 2026 list of Most Influential People—but to call her a "good" model, even a "great" one, misses the mark. Yai is the shape-shifter of a generation, transforming into beings that transcend the mortal plane: an alien for Mugler fragrances (for which she's served as the face since 2024), Edward Scissorhands at Vogue World: Hollywood, and a literal statue for the 2026 Met Gala—a look that required hours with a prosthetic artist and a vow of silence to remain in character on the carpet.

"Oh my god, I was so nervous when I came up with the idea," the 28-year-old tells me from an airy suite at the New York Edition, steeped in soft afternoon light. The vision came to her the minute she caught wind of the Fashion Is Art dress code: a Black Madonna with a sculptural prosthetic wig, airbrushed-bronze skin, and pearl tears dripping down her cheeks. It took a minute for the concept to land with Pierpaolo Piccioli, creative director of Balenciaga, and his team. "But once I showed it to them in person, it was a match made in heaven," she shares. And heavenly it was. Easily the most awe-inspiring look of the night, Yai's sculptural glam is already enshrined in Met Gala beauty history.

On the day of our video call, Yai assumes the form of a classic model off duty: denim button-down, sleek midnight strands with wispy bangs, and defined, ultra-glossy lips. Even from my computer screen, she has the piercing gaze of a divine being. I'm not the first to notice the model's otherworldly glamour (she's mentioned how photographers would frequently praise her ethereal aura), and it seems she's fully leaning into the supernatural comparisons. When I ask her to describe her own beauty aesthetic, who she morphs into when she's the creative director, she doesn't miss a beat. "Vampire. I want women to be intrigued by me but men to be scared," she says, followed by a pause, a ghost of a smile.

That being said, it is rare for someone as booked and busy as Yai to sit in the driver's seat of their own glam. As she's one of the most sought-after models in the industry, there's always a runway to open, a campaign to front, or a red carpet to attend. And when she's not working? Well, even shape-shifters need their rest. "I'm still trying to balance my social and work life, and I haven't been doing too good at that," she admits. (She's also been recovering from multiple life-saving surgeries over the past year due to a congenital defect that was overworking her heart and impairing her lung function.) "But whenever I see my friends, it's really a celebration—a moment for us to kick it and have fun."

Back at home, the getting-ready process is just as much of a party, resulting in hours of snapping photos and comparing outfits (that heel with this skirt or maybe boots?) to the beats of Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, and old Drake hits—"not to be shady," Yai quips. "I feel like getting ready is sometimes more fun than actually going out," she adds. "I'll fly some of my friends out if I have a big event. I'll have a huge bathroom with four sinks, so we're all in there doing makeup at the same time."

Yai, a self-anointed scent queen, never forgets a generous spritz—or five—of fragrance. "I do this weird thing with all of my friends. We like to smell the same," she shares. "We'll take the perfume, and then we'll stand in a group and spray [it] all around us." Lately, she's been gravitating toward the raspberry- and jasmine-spiked Mugler Alien Pulp, which offers just enough sweetness and an air of mystery. "It's not innocent sweet. It's seductive sweet," she tells me. "I always lean toward floral scents [with jasmine], but there's a touch of vanilla that reminds me of growing up with my mom. She would have vanilla everywhere: vanilla perfume, vanilla candles, vanilla ice cream, vanilla wall paint, vanilla everything."

She'll take said scent with her on the go—along with a rich mahogany-toned lip liner, clear lip gloss courtesy of MAC, and grape-flavored Jolly Ranchers ("I have a crazy sweet tooth," she admits)—for a quick touch-up in the car just before her arrival. "I'm usually the last person at the party," she says proudly. "I go around, say hi, and once I hear, 'Oh my god, you smell so good,' I Irish goodbye so the last thing [people] remember is how good I smelled." I can picture it: Yai, fresh off the spring/summer 2027 runways, weaving through partygoers on a cloud of jasmine, granting just a glimpse of her star power. Like a phantom wind, she leaves you spellbound in her wake.

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