Iman is a famous model.
She shows pretty clothes. She also makes makeup. Iman helps many people in need. She is very kind. Do you like fashion?
Iman is a famous model.
She shows beautiful clothes for many designers. She also makes her own makeup. She makes colors that are hard to find.
Iman is a kind person. She helps people who are poor. She also works to help children. Iman can speak five ways to talk. She is a very successful woman.
Iman is a famous model and actress.
She was born in Mogadishu, Somalia. Her name means "faith" in Arabic. Iman became a supermodel in the 1970s. She worked with many top designers. Some designers called her a "muse." A muse is a person who helps an artist find new ideas. Designers like Gianni Versace and Yves Saint Laurent loved working with her.
Iman also started her own makeup company. She made colors that were hard for many women to find. This business grew very large. Iman is also a kind leader. She works to help people living in poverty. She helps groups like Save the Children. She also works to help people fight sickness. Iman can speak five different languages. These are Somali, Arabic, Italian, French, and English. She has won many awards for her style and her work. She is a very important person in the fashion world.
Iman is a famous Somali-American model and actress.
She is known for her beauty and her many different roles. People call her a supermodel because she is so successful. She was also a muse for many famous designers. A muse is a person who helps an artist find new ideas. Designers like Gianni Versace and Yves Saint Laurent loved her work. Even Yves Saint Laurent called her his "dream woman." She has used her fame to help many people through charity work. This makes her a very important leader in the world.
Iman's life began in Mogadishu, Somalia.
Her father was a diplomat for Somalia. Her mother worked as a doctor for women. Iman lived with her grandparents when she was young. At age four, she went to a boarding school in Egypt. Later, her family moved to Kenya. In 1975, she studied political science at the University of Nairobi. While she was at university, a photographer named Peter Beard discovered her. This discovery helped her start her big career in the United States.
Her career in fashion grew very fast.
In 1976, she did her first job for Vogue magazine. She became famous for her slender figure and copper-toned skin. She worked with many great photographers like Richard Avedon and Annie Leibovitz. Iman also acted in movies and on TV. She appeared in the film Out of Africa in 1985. She even played a shapeshifting alien in Star Trek VI. She also hosted fashion shows on television, like Project Runway Canada. She even appeared as a character in a video game.
Iman is also a very smart businesswoman.
In 1994, she started her own makeup company. She wanted to make colors that were hard for some women to find. She helped mix the products herself. By the year 2010, her company made 25 million dollars a year. In 2021, she released a perfume called "Love Memoir." The bottle looks like two stones. This shape honors a ritual used for healing from grief. It is a way to remember and find peace.
Iman has lived a life full of connections. She was married to the musician David Bowie from 1992 until he died in 2016. They had a daughter named Alexandria Zahra Jones. Iman also speaks five languages: Somali, Arabic, Italian, French, and English. She uses her voice to help groups like Save the Children and CARE. She even helped stop the trade of "blood diamonds" by ending a contract. In 2010, she won a special award for being a Fashion Icon. She is a person who has changed many different worlds.
Iman is a Somali-American supermodel, actress, and businesswoman.
A supermodel is a high-profile fashion model with immense influence. Throughout her career, she has served as a muse for legendary designers. A muse is a person who inspires an artist's creativity. Designers like Gianni Versace, Calvin Klein, and Yves Saint Laurent relied on her image. Saint Laurent even described her as his "dream woman." Beyond fashion, she is a dedicated philanthropist. This means she works to provide help and support to people in need.
Iman’s journey began in Mogadishu, Somalia. She was born Zara Mohamed Abdulmajid on July 25, 1955. Her father was a diplomat serving as the Somali ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Her mother was a gynecologist, a doctor who specializes in women's health. At age four, she attended boarding school in Egypt. Later, her family moved to Kenya due to political unrest in Somalia. In 1975, she began studying political science at the University of Nairobi.
It was during her university years that American photographer Peter Beard discovered her.
Her modeling career moved quickly to the United States. Her first major assignment was for Vogue magazine in 1976. She became an instant success in the fashion industry. People admired her long neck, slender figure, and copper-toned skin. Iman often notes that her features are simply typical of Somali women. She worked with famous photographers such as Richard Avedon and Annie Leibovitz. These professionals helped cement her status as a global icon. She was also represented by TESS Management in London.
Iman expanded her talents into acting and television. She appeared in the 1979 British film *The Human Factor*. In 1985, she had a small role in the Oscar-winning film *Out of Africa*. She even played a shapeshifting alien in *Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country*. Her television work included guest roles on *The Cosby Show* and *Miami Vice*. Later, she became a host for fashion shows. She hosted *Project Runway Canada* for two years. She also hosted the second season of *The Fashion Show* in 2010.
In 1994, Iman transitioned into the world of business. She founded Iman Mohamed Cosmetics to address a specific problem. She wanted to create makeup shades that were difficult for many women to find. She used her experience mixing formulations for makeup artists to help develop the products. She also served as the commercial face of her brand. By 2010, her company was a $25-million-a-year business. In 2021, she released a signature fragrance called "Love Memoir."
The amber bottle mimics two stones. This shape references a spiritual ritual used for healing from grief.
Iman’s personal life included a famous marriage to musician David Bowie. They met on a blind date in Los Angeles in 1990. They married in a private ceremony in Switzerland in 1992. They had a daughter together named Alexandria Zahra Jones in 2000.
Iman is also a polyglot, meaning she speaks many languages. She is fluent in Somali, Arabic, Italian, French, and English. She has also been a citizen of the United States since her twenties.
Her influence extends deeply into global humanitarian work. Since 2019, she has served as the first Global Advocate for CARE. This organization works to overcome poverty and ensure people live with dignity. She also supports Save the Children and the Keep a Child Alive program. Iman famously fought against the trade of "blood diamonds." She did this by terminating her contract with the conglomerate De Beers. In 2010, the Council of Fashion Designers of America gave her the Fashion Icon award. This lifetime achievement award recognizes individuals who profoundly influence the fashion world.
Where will your curiosity go next?
🖼️ Images & Media (2)
More to explore
✨ What else?
Related topics you might enjoy
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.