Iman's Most Iconic Style Moments
From memorable runway appearances to couple's outfits with husband David Bowie, here are some of the renowned supermodel's most stunning looks.
Iman Abdulmajid—known mononymously as Iman—was born in Somalia to a middle-class family. The model later relocated to Nairobi, Kenya as a refugee in 1975, where she attended university. While in Nairobi, she was discovered by prominent photographer Peter Beard and rapidly became one of the most sought-after faces in the fashion industry, where she was recognized as the most beautiful woman in the world.
After she moved to New York thanks to Beard, Iman signed with Wilhelmina Models. The model became a mainstay on the fashion catwalk and served as an artistic muse for designers like Gianni Versace, Thierry Mugler, Yves Saint Laurent, and countless others. After emerging in the industry as the scene's most beautiful woman and a style icon, Iman entered the acting realm, and subsequently, began making waves on the screen and on the runway.
As one of the first Black women to dominate the fashion industry, she consistently raised the bar and paved the way for many models of color to come. In the early 1990s, the model created Iman Cosmetics, a shade-inclusive makeup line—one of the first of its kind—that is still in business today.
Another notable touchpoint of the model's formative years was her relationship with rock star David Bowie. The couple married in 1992 and became a staple at fashion's biggest events like the Met Gala and major philanthropic events. The pair remained together until the singer's passing in 2016.
Whether it be dominating the runway for bigshot brands or setting sartorial trends, Iman firmly cemented herself as a cultural icon through grace, poise, and purpose, and even now is widely recognized as the most beautiful woman in the world. To this day, the model remains a major force both in and outside the industry, working on her beauty line while also maintaining roles in several non-profit organizations. In celebration of the world's most beautiful woman and her impressive career, take a look at some of her most memorable style moments from the early years of her reign on the runway.
