This year, BoF VOICES marked a major milestone, its 10th anniversary, and the global fashion community turned out in force for three days of forward-thinking conversations. Among the inspiring line-up of speakers was Awar Odhiang, the Ethiopian-Canadian model whose rise in the industry has been nothing short of remarkable.

Awar Odhiang has quickly become one of fashion’s most sought-after faces. In 2025 alone, she walked for world-renowned houses like Hermès, Schiaparelli, Fendi, Prada and many more.

On top of her runway success, her campaign work includes luxury names such as Louis Vuitton, Bottega Veneta, and Saint Laurent.

Her influence reaches far beyond the runway — consistently landing her on Models.com’s Top 50 list, earning her a 2024 Model of the Year nomination, and securing coveted features in publications such as Vogue, M Le Magazine du Monde, and The Wall Street Journal.

At VOICES 2025, held from November 18 to 20 in Oxfordshire, Odhiang joined a stellar roster of thinkers, creatives, and industry leaders for the event’s 10th anniversary gathering. Her session, titled “Choosing Joy: A New Path for Power, Identity and Representation,” paired her with BoF Editor Imran Amed.

During her appearance at VOICES, Awar spoke candidly about the responsibility that comes with visibility in the fashion industry. She emphasised the importance of true commitment to change, saying that consistency and genuinely valuing lived experiences are essential if fashion wants to move forward. She highlighted how too often the same voices are asked to retell the same stories without meaningful systemic progress, and urged the industry to recognise that real transformation benefits everyone. Reflecting on her own journey, from a refugee camp to the world’s runways, she shared how the fashion world once felt impossibly distant, even as she dreamed of studying medicine.

This wasn’t just a typical model appearance, her voice on that stage signals a shift in how models are perceived. Beyond their physical presence, models like Awar are now thought leaders, shaping conversations about identity, representation, and empowerment.

Awar Odhiang speaking at BoF VOICES 2025 isn’t just a milestone for her, it’s meaningful for the fashion world. Her presence underscores how much the industry has evolved. Models are no longer just faces for brands; they are thinkers, creators, and powerful agents of change.