Iman (model)

Lore & Background

Iman was born Zara Mohamed Abdulmajid in Mogadishu and raised as a Muslim. Her father was a diplomat and Somali ambassador to Saudi Arabia, and her mother was a gynecologist. She was renamed Iman, meaning 'faith' in Arabic, at her grandfather's urging. She attended boarding school in Egypt and later studied political science at the University of Nairobi in 1975. While at university, she was discovered by American photographer Peter Beard and moved to the United States to begin modeling. Her first assignment was for Vogue in 1976, and she soon appeared on covers of prestigious magazines. In 1977, she starred in the first Black woman-centered Revlon campaign. She became a muse to designers including Halston, Gianni Versace, Calvin Klein, Issey Miyake, Donna Karan, and Yves Saint Laurent, who called her his 'dream woman'.

Reader's Guide

Iman's significance lies in her pioneering role as a Black supermodel who broke barriers in the fashion industry during the 1970s and 1980s. She was one of the first models to front a major cosmetics campaign centered on Black women, and later founded her own cosmetics company in 1994, focusing on shades for women of color. Her business grew to a $25-million-a-year enterprise by 2010. Beyond modeling, she appeared in films such as Out of Africa and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, and in music videos like Michael Jackson's Remember the Time. Her philanthropic work includes serving as CARE's first Global Advocate and supporting Product Red, Keep a Child Alive, and Save the Children. She also campaigned against conflict minerals and blood diamonds. Her legacy is that of a multifaceted icon who leveraged her fame for social impact.

Did You Know?

• Iman was renamed at her grandfather's urging, who believed she would prosper with a masculine name.
• She was the first girl born in her paternal family in six generations of sons.
• She appeared in Michael Jackson's music video Remember the Time as the Queen of Ancient Egypt.
• She released her signature fragrance 'Love Memoir' in late 2021, with a bottle shaped like two stones referencing a spiritual ritual.