This article was curated by It’s That Part, where we highlight the truth in every fact—curated for deeper insight and critical reflection.
Paris Fashion Week has consistently impressed us with its fashion and storytelling, but all eyes were on model Anok Yai during the Vetements runway show. After leaving the catwalk in tears, guests and social media are questioning whether it was an emotional break or another publicity stunt.
The 2025 Vetements theme, “Black Widow,” featured Yai as the show’s lead supermodel. In a viral clip, the Sudanese model was walking in an oversized black dress styled to resemble mourning attire for a pregnant widow. Midway through, viewers noticed that she was crying, leaving the audience wondering: “What just happened?”
While most were easily be confused about this fashion moment, some are looking back at her previous Vetements appearance.
Fashion enthusiasts may recall Yai’s unforgettable walk at last year’s show, when she appeared in a beautiful white couture gown.
However, the dress seemed too long, and she runs off like a a frustrated beauty or runaway bride, leaving the audience dazed. Even the production team seemed caught entirely off guard.
Creator @shewantstrends dissects the chaos of the fashion show. “We need to go back to last year’s show. Anok Yai walks in this beautiful white gown. Like, this is perfection. But, all of a sudden, she just storms off.” So, what happened? It wasn’t a wardrobe malfunction; it was performance art. Yai has been cast as a runaway bride.
This year, the story continued. No longer a bride, Yai became a “sad, emotional widow.” The creator explains that the contrast between the two shows is a “brilliant marketing strategy,” starting as a runaway bride and then turning into a grieving widow. “The way she embodied both roles shows she’s ready for Hollywood,” the creator added. We couldn’t agree more.
And, of course, the reactions and the thinkpieces from social media flooded the comments section.
“Oh, it’s a performance,” one TikTok user wrote. “I was ready to ride at dawn for her.”
“Her running down the runway in the wedding gown still lives rent-free in my mind,” another added. “What an iconic moment.”
But not all commentary focused on the performance. Others pulled the cover of the fundamental societal issue surrounding Black women. “I think she’s crying because that’s the theme: Black women, impregnated and left alone with no support, surviving through depression as always.”
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