When it comes to the most influential supermodels of all time, Iman definitely makes the list. She came to fame in the 1970s and has been a model and muse for many world-famous designers and has appeared on the cover of countless magazines. In addition to her modeling work, Iman is also known for being half of a beloved celebrity couple with her late husband David Bowie, her cosmetics line, and her philanthropy.
Now, it's been nearly 50 years since Iman made a name for herself as a model. And while she officially retired from that career years ago, she's still very much a presence in the fashion world. She's also living a peaceful life today as a mother and grandmother. Read on to find out more about Iman's life at 66.
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She hasn't been a professional model for 33 years.
Rose Hartman/WireImage via Getty ImagesIman retired from modeling in 1989 after a very successful career. In an interview with Porter in 2018, she explained of her decision, "The philosophical answer is that I knew that there was no more that I could do, and I needed to walk away in order to start something new. The less philosophical truth was that I had Linda [Evangelista] and Naomi [Campbell] and Christy [Turlington] and Cindy [Crawford] behind me, and they were going to push me out anyway, so I had to leave with grace.”
She started a makeup brand.
Taylor Hill/FilmMagic via Getty ImagesIn 1994, Iman launched Iman Cosmetics. The company focuses on producing makeup for non-white women, which was harder to find at the time it was launched.
“Now, every brand has 40 shades of foundation, but Iman Cosmetics was one of the first that changed the way we think about makeup,” she told Porter. “That will be my legacy, and I am very happy to be remembered that way.”
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She's still involved in the fashion world.
Mike Coppola/Getty ImagesIman is no longer a working model, but she's remained involved in fashion. She was the host of Project Runway Canada and The Fashion Show. She still makes a splash when she hits any red carpet, such as with her show-stopping look at the 2021 Met Gala. And she has made big moves to change the industry. As noted by Porter, she was part of a group of fashion insiders who launched a campaign and issued an open letter urging for more non-white models to be featured on the runway, calling out specific designers.
"When we posted the letter on social media, everyone knew, so the designers were taken to task," she said. "Everybody has a voice now, and change happens fast.”
Iman was also recently honored at the inaugural Fifteen Percent Pledge gala, which aims to get retailers to stock more Black-owned businesses.
She's enjoying a calmer way of life.
Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for Fifteen Percent PledgeAs a model, life was fast-paced for Iman, but these days, she's enjoying a much more relaxed existence.
"It’s about time I settled down!" she told Harper's Bazaar in 2021. "I’m such a city girl, but now I’m appreciating the country. I go hiking every day—I have this great view of mountains that changes literally every few minutes." She also shared that she had been spending her time painting, watching movies, reading, and cooking.
She's a mother and grandmother.
Ron Adar / ShutterstockIman has a 43-year-old daughter, Zulekha Haywood, with her ex-husband basketball player Spencer Haywood, and a 21-year-old daughter, Lexi Jones, with Bowie. She's a grandmother through Zulekha, who has a daughter named Lavinia. In 2021, Iman posted a photo of herself with Zulekha and Lavinia on Instagram and wrote, "3 generations! Family love runs deep! Blessed to have in my life my granddaughter Vini and my daughter Zulekha."
Iman has been open about mourning Bowie following his 2016 death from liver cancer. She talked about their relationship with Harper's Bazaar.
"It was a beautiful, ordinary life and that was what was great about it," she said. "We could live in New York, pick up our daughter from school, walk everywhere... You know, I wish we had had more years."
