Sisterhood has never looked as fun as it did at Glamour’s 2025 Women of the Year event, which took place on November 4 at The Plaza hotel in New York City.
This year Glamour honored Demi Moore and Tyla as our 2025 Global Women of the Year, Rachel Zegler as our US and UK Woman of the Year, and Ms. Rachel, Pat McGrath, and five women from the WNBA—Lexie Hull, Napheesa Collier, Jonquel Jones, Nyara Sabally, and Satou Sabally—as our US Women of the Year.
While Glamour UK celebrated last week with a soiree across the pond to honor the UK Women of the year, Glamour US kept the party going with a celebration of our own. The Plaza hotel, a New York institution in and of itself, lent a certain air of, shall we say, glamour to the party—the perfect backdrop to celebrate this year’s theme of sisterhood. See all the red-carpet arrivals from the evening and the best nails.
Inside, guests enjoyed cocktails before taking their seats as the Brass Queens, a female-led horn group, played “Lady Marmalade” and other favorites. The improvisational hip-hop group Freestyle Plus hosted the show with lively musical performances created on the spot.
Glamour’s global editorial director, Samantha Barry, kicked off the evening with a moving moment, inviting attendees to light up the globes at their tables if they or someone they know was impacted by breast cancer.
“This is a symbol of shining light, raising awareness,” she said. “In partnership with our presenting sponsor Eli Lilly and Company, Glamour has been working to spotlight the life-saving power of early breast cancer screenings. Our combined efforts began at women’s basketball All-Star Weekend in July, and they continue here tonight.”
“In honor of Glamour’s 2025 Women of the Year,” Barry explained, “Lilly is giving free mammograms to local women in need.” According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year survival rate can be as high as 99% with early detection.
Demi Moore, the first honoree to speak, gave an inspiring speech about how she learned to tune out noise so she could keep fighting for the projects she believed in. “When I was younger, I was afraid to admit that I don’t know,” she said. “And now I’ve learned that saying ‘I don’t know’ or ‘I don’t have all the answers’ isn’t a weakness.”
After Tyla praised the kind of village it takes to make a global pop star, Alex Newell took the stage at the Glamour Women of the Year event. The star is about to start their Broadway run in Chicago and graced the audience with a performance of “I Know Where I've Been” from Hairspray.
Next up was Rachel Zegler with her own moving speech. “I developed a resilience by being a woman in the entertainment industry, which didn't come with a manual at the age of seventeen,” she said. “Instead, it came with sisters—old and young, from so many different places in the world, with so many different experiences—that took me under their wing and showed me the light. I am nothing without the love they've shown me these past seven years in the public eye. The only thing I can hope to do is be that sister for everyone else I encounter on what I hope is a long, long life in this business and beyond.”
She was followed by Rachel Accurso, a.k.a Ms. Rachel. “I know our hearts have room for children beyond our own children and beyond the children of our country,” the latter said to a standing ovation. Read her full moving speech on Glamour.com.
Makeup legend Pat McGrath talked about her childhood as a kid in England’s Northampton and thanked her mother for teaching her that “beauty isn’t about color but about identity and self-expression and joy.”
Comedian and podcaster Hasan Minhaj then took the mic to introduce the women of the WNBA. “As a stand-up comedian and podcaster, I think everyone knows why I’m here—to honor excellence in athletic achievement,” he joked. The Blue Demon Beacon High School Cheer Team then entered the room with a rousing call and response. Lexie Hull, Nyara Sabally, and Jonquel Jones were on hand to represent the women of the WNBA.
“You may have heard, but we are in a bit of a negotiation right now,” Hull told the crowd. “We fight our rivals hard on the court, but now we’re fighting for fair pay, safer play, and better resources for every player in the WNBA. Tonight we want to thank the fans who are standing with us as we make the WNBA the best league in the world.”
“Like Lexie said, we’ve reached a crucial point in the WNBA where we are fighting for equity, respect, and a meaningful share in what we create, because the league, the success, the growth—it doesn’t happen without us,” Jones said. “So to all of you young ladies standing here with me today, to every working woman, keep demanding more. Your value, your impact is undeniable and your fight inspires art.”
Like many past Women of the Year celebrations, there were as many moving moments as there were more lighthearted ones. It’s true—we laughed, we cried, and we had a ball celebrating the women who inspire us every day.
Originally published on Glamour US.
