Last night, model Anok Yai was anointed one of Time’s 100 most influential people of the year—a title she shares with the likes of Hailey Bieber, Dakota Johnson, and Pope Leo XIV.
Yai arrived at the Lincoln Center last night in an indigo, body-conscious Hervé Léger bandage dress with a sheer black skirt. But the outfit only proved to be the precursor to the main event: by the time she hit the TIME100 Gala red carpet, Yai changed into a sculptural Ashi Studio dress—the second look from the brand’s spring 2026 couture show.
The green croc-embossed midi dress was replete with an inverted strapless neckline, a flared skirt, and a sculptural bodice that highlighted a nipped-in waist and padded hips. Yai finished the look with a pair of matching pointy-toe croc heels and Marli jewelry.
The esoteric dress was an unusual choice for the TIME100 Gala—other attendees favored more classic gowns. But it is perfectly on-theme for another forthcoming event: the 2026 Met Gala. The Costume Institute’s exhibit “Costume Art” anoints fashion as a high artform, on par with more traditional fine arts. In her sculptural Ashi Studio dress, Anok Yai furthers the case that fashion is, indeed, art.
