South Sudanese model Adut Akech was named the number one model in the world by models.com Industry Awards, beating supermodel Hadid sisters. Pictured in 2018 attending The Fashion Awards
Meanwhile, Gigi Hadid, 23, scored the reader’s choice vote for the female model of the year.

The feat comes after Adut opened up about her harrowing struggle with anxiety and depression.

Adut, who launched her modelling career aged 16, admitted on Tuesday that she cried every morning and night in 2018.

Taking to Instagram on New Year’s Day, the supermodel said that despite her successful career she ‘suffered from really bad depression and anxiety’.

In a lengthy post, she explained that she is learning to ‘handle’ her mental illness, but nonetheless feels overwhelmed sometimes.

‘I’m learning to handle it better now but it’s a daily struggle and not every day is a ”good” day,’ the beauty confessed.

‘Every single day of my life in 2018 was a challenge, filled with some serious obstacles to overcome.

‘I would wake up every morning crying but put the biggest smile on my face and tried my hardest to push through the day pretending I was fine, then I’d come home and cry some more and go to sleep.’

‘Every single day of my life in 2018 was a challenge, filled with some serious obstacles to overcome’: Adut, who launched her modelling career aged 16, opened up about her harrowing struggle with anxiety and depression on Tuesday
Adut was born in a refugee camp in South Sudan and arrived in Adelaide when she was just seven-years-old.

In July 2018, Adut was chosen by creative director Karl Lagerfeld to be the first black Chanel bride in over a decade at Couture Week.

The last black Chanel bride was the British-Sudanese model Alex Wek in 2004.