Facts of Life Iman

July 25 celebrates his birthday one of the brightest representatives of the business model Iman. Hard to believe that this woman turns 58 years old - a lovely figure and a fresh appearance supermodel hardly confirms this fact. Popularity came to Iman in 1976, after it was "discovered" the photographer Peter Beard, a young Somalian, and pictures appeared in the pages of American Vogue. Iman never thought about a career Centerfolds, so the first offer to participate in a photo shoot was very surprised, but at the same time and alerted her - she decided that she was offered a job in the porn industry. Exotic looks, grace wildcat and innate ability to stay in front of the camera not only praised Iman, but also made it possible to pay for tuition at the university, which was the decisive factor in the agreement to take pictures. Black beauty was invited to the shooting world renowned designers, among them Calvin Klein, Gianni Versace and Yves Saint Laurent, and her photos often appear on the covers of top fashion magazines.





Officially ended her modeling career in 1989, Iman focus on the business and created her own cosmetic brand specializing in the production of decorative cosmetics for women with different skin color, and later took up the design of accessories and has released several books of his own. Today Iman is a successful business woman, but around the world it is primarily known as a model that not only changed the concept of beauty, but also paved the way for black women in the world of fashion.



1. At birth, the model was named Zahra, but later decided to call her mother, the daughter of a traditional male name Iman, which is translated from the Somali means "faith." Thus mother tried to shield the Iman of the problems often experienced by women in East Africa.

Iman - a man's name, and I was the only woman with that name, I know.



2. Iman went to school, where he taught Soviet master. Moreover - the school was located on Lenin Street (in the Somali capital, Mogadishu).

3. Iman speaks five languages ​​- Somali, Arabic, French, Italian and English. At the beginning of her modeling career was assigned a special person who speaks Somali - a modeling agency thought that the young girl does not know languages ​​other than their native than insulted Iman.

And I knew English and five other languages! Also, I was very surprised and offended at the same time that they believed that all Africans came out of the jungle. Somalia - a desert. I've never even seen the jungle.



4. The last school years supermodel took place in Egypt. Iman loves this country and even named his second daughter, Alexandria - in honor of the Egyptian city.

5. In his youth, Iman wanted to go in the footsteps of his father, who was ambassador in Saudi Arabia, Somalia, and to become a politician. She studied political science at a university in Kenya.

I never painted, I did not wear heels and did not look fashion magazines. I wanted to go into politics and change the world. I was the daughter of his father.

6. The first years of modeling career was a real test for Iman. Despite the relevance and bright appearance, many believed oborvankoy uneducated girl, a man of second grade.

I was constantly saying: "You're from Africa! What do you know? ". I felt terrible. One magazine editor said that I succeeded because what looked like a white woman, which dipped in chocolate.



7. The designer Michael Kors has repeatedly called Iman "icon of all time," and Yves Saint Laurent once called her "the woman of his dreams," and even dedicated to her one of his collection entitled "The African Queen". According to Iman, work on the advertising campaign for this collection of clothing was for her best moment in the entire modeling career.



8. Iman played the role of an Egyptian princess in the movie Michael Jackson's «Remember The Time», and also played in several films, including "Out of Africa" ​​with Meryl Streep and "No Way Out" with Kevin Costner.

9. Supermodel was married three times. She first married at 18 years of Somali, but the marriage fell apart after a couple of years. In 1977 it became the chosen one American basketball player Spencer Haywood, whom she divorced after 10 years of marriage. In 1992, Iman became the wife of David Bowie, which is happy to this day. At home in Somalia this marriage was not adopted without conviction - on the main forum of the country there is still a topic titled "Is Iman did, marrying David Bowie?».



10. The Englishman David Bowie has always dreamed of living with his wife at home in the UK for a long time tried to persuade her to do so, using not the most convincing arguments:

Once we arrived there in the summer, and the weather was gorgeous, and he tried to convince me that there she kept this.

11. The secret of youth Iman - a sunscreen with an SPF of 50, which she uses every day for several decades.

My beautician always told me that you need to protect your skin from the sun. I, because of his youth and inexperience, kept saying that I do not need any cream, because I have dark skin. Later, I still decided to listen to her ... and knock off themselves for decades.



12. In an interview with Iman admitted that she is grateful to his parents for what they "gave me a neck longer than any other girl in the world", and the fashion industry, because "she finally gave me the opportunity to tell my husband: "Move over. You're not the only star in the house! ".