Transgender star, Alex Consani is crowned the Model of the Year over five shortlisted women at British Fashion Awards in London

A transgender model has been awarded Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards in London.

American model and influencer, Alex Consani was given the title ahead of five women who had been shortlisted for the accolade at a glittering ceremony.

The 21-year-old’s victory comes amid the BFC increasingly shortlisting a number of fashion names from LGBTQ and other ‘underrepresented’ groups for its awards.

Consani, who is 6ft, started modelling in 2015 and is known for having distinctive bleached hair and eyebrows.

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.

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 Model of the Year winners’ speech saw Consani joke with the audience, adding: ‘I am the first trans model to win this award,’ after being presented with the accolade by model Ashley Graham and Baby Reindeer star Nava Mau.

Consani continued: ‘Now more than ever it’s an important conversation to be had, about how to support and uplift one another in this industry – especially those who have been made to feel insignificant.

‘Because change is more than possible, it’s needed, and this is a step in the right direction.’