Iman Cosmetics

AUGUST

BEAUTY AND HSN
I shot in New York city the new ad and video campaign for HSN for IMAN Global Chic and of course the usual suspects of my glam team where with me… Sam Fine/makeup and Oscar James and a sleuth of Video Camera crew. Check the behind the scene video on the home page to give you a glimpse of the philosophy behind my line and don’t forget to watch me on HSN on Sept 27th.

photo: Wearing Herve Leger with Sam Fine

BEAUTY AND FAVE RESTAURANT
My fave restaurant in New York is Norwood. It is a private club/restaurant on 14th street. It is housed in a glorious brownstone that is so chic and private and the food is delicious. It is over 5 floors in a spectacular landmark townhouse. Beside the restaurant it has lounge bars, screening room, private dining room and to top it all a walled garden. Love It!!

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BEAUTY AND THE WIGS
I have been loving these great wigs that I have been trying out the past 6 months and I am just loving them. It gives my hair a break and it can take me from drab to glam in an instant. They are light and easy to manage as you don’t need a hairdresser to groom your locks daily. No self respecting fashionista leaves the house with a hair extension or a wig these days so why should you... So, you are dying to know where can you get these wigs from? Stay Tuned!

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JULY

“She Has Left Us A Proud Legacy”
As Told to Zulekha Haywood at Essence.com

I am saddened by the passing of the legendary supermodel Naomi Sims, but I take comfort in knowing that she has left us a proud legacy that all of us Black supermodels have benefitted from. In 2000, when I was working on my book “I AM IMAN,” my husband, David Bowie, surprised me on my birthday with a pristine copy of her Life magazine cover story issue which served as a creative inspiration for the story I was trying to tell, and remains to be one of my most prized possessions.

Besides the fact that Naomi was aesthetically perfect in every way, what gave her that je ne sai quoi, that elusive certain somethingness, was her ability to be elegant and accessible at the same time. Her degree of elegance can be one of those qualities that looks effortless from an editorial sense, but you can’t imagine that translating into everyday life. But Naomi did it; she made it look easy, and most importantly, she made it look like something every woman innately possesses.

Contrary to the belief that I looked for inspiration on my iconic images to the White glamour models of the bygone era, it was Naomi Sims and her Life cover that I was channeling in the photo below…. she was truly an inspiration! Naomi will be missed for everything that she contributed to the female experience, not just the Black female experience. She was iconic in every way.

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SUMMER HEAT
Now hold on... before you say anything! This was for a photoshoot for an Italian magazine! My dear friend and photographer Hamid came up with this idea that sure was a sizzler! What an easy job to just lie around in a bed. I promise no young men where harmed at this photoshoot.

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UBAH AND I
I interviewed Ralph Lauren model and Somali beauty Ubah for New York Magazine. What a delight it was to meet her as she is very gracious, extremely tall and beyond gorgeous! We chatted away in Somali when we didn’t want the others to know what we were talking about. This model is definitely here to stay! Hey, Ralph! Put her under a contract!

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NOAH AND KEEP A CHILD ALIVE
Noah Mushimiyimana from Rwanda was chosen by Keep a Child Alive to be given the opportunity of a lifetime! Noah lives in Rwanda and had a dream… to make an album so that he can help children living with HIV/AIDS in his country. Alicia Keys took him to American Idol and sang making his dream come true. He showed all of us that living with HIV doesn’t have to stop you from reaching for the stars. Help Keep a Child Alive by donating... www.keepachildalive.org

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JUNE

THE BASICS OF BEAUTY
I hosted a cocktail party/celebration launch in honor of my dear friend Sam Fine’s new dvd, The Basics of Beauty (www.samfine.com) at the famous Plaza Hotel in New York. This is a must buy this summer and for many more seasons to come as this is the next best thing to having Sam do your face. To follow all his tips and techniques all you will need is IMAN Cosmetics. Whenever I have an important event to attend i book him in advance as i will sure look my best in his hands. Great attendance by the beautiful and glamourous New Yorkers from Vanessa Williams, Deborah Cox, Wendy Williams and model Arlenis Sosa.

photo: with Sam Fine

TYSON MANIA
Here I am in my office with the crew from BET for my Tyson Beckford interview. I wanted to highlight the people who are behind the scene who actually make us look and sound good on specials…. from lighting, sound and intelligent questions. These are the same crew who did my Real Life Divas. Thanks to everyone!

photo: the crew from BET

DURO OLOWU
My dearest friend Thelma Golden’s husband designer Duro Olowu was in New York for a trunk show at Barney’s and Vogue’s Sally Singer gave him a wonderful fun dinner at Norwood in New York ( it was also Duro’s bithday!) Duro’s clothes are a combination of couture shapes with African inspired prints and outrageous colors all in the best Italian and French silk. Thelma presented him a delicious red velvet cake with “beet juice” apparently the beet juice makes it red and not food coloring… from Harlem bakery, Make my Cake. Happy Birthday Duro… we love you!

photo: with Duro Olowu

MAY

SUPERMODEL... YOU BETTER WORK!
The Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute Gala is dubbed as The Party of the Year and this year it was a salute to The Model as a Muse and it was about time. It was a celebration of the real-life heroines of fashion-The Model. It was a multi-generational love fest and there were a lot of models whom i haven’t seen for over 20 years, Lisa Taylor! I met for the first time Twiggy! and was hugged and loved by new girls of the moment like Raquel Zimmerman in the bathroom – no less! And I couldn’t have been more elated to see one of my fave model/ friend Yasmine Le Bon and her gentleman of a husband, Simon Le Bon. I was even one of the first on my feet dancing when Kanye West took the stage and he blew the roof of the Met! For those who are not in the loop... I wore custom made Donna Karan and Fred Leighton jewelry... and my date was Donna Karan as I am her muse. Thank you Anna Wintour for celebrating us!

photo: courtesy of Wireimage

THE AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE
Our First Lady, Michelle Obama, was the biggest star at this opening gala. Looking beautiful, stylish and elegant in an Azzedine Alaia dress she brought modern dressing at a black tie event. She received such a high standing ovation when she took the stage and we were all star struck. The program included excerpts from Swan Lake and Romeo and Juliet and a jazz number by Herbie Hancock on piano. I wore a green Oscar de la Renta, beautiful but extremely big, that confirmed why i don’t wear long frothy gowns as they are very difficult to maneuvre ... I am no SJP!

photo: in Oscar de la Renta gown

INFINITY AWARDS
The International Center of Photography’s 25th annual Infinity Awards dinner this year was a wonderful event to see great photographers both from fashion and non-fashion categories. Gloria Steinem presented to long time friend photographer Annie Leibovitz with a Lifetime Achievement Award by calling her "the most authoritative shy person I’ve ever met". I will be forever grateful to Annie as she did me a huge favor by photographing exclusively for my book "I AM IMAN" my "tribe of beauties" which was the first group shot of black models ever. Congrats Annie!

photo: in one of my vintage dresses and Iradj Moini brooch

APRIL

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY
I am extremely proud that my daughter Zulekha has posed with me for Keep a Child Alive to celebrate mothers and raise funds for them. Read below what my daughter wrote and, please, help us and donate www.keepachildalive.org

photo credit: Markus Klinko and Indrani

MAMA'S GOT A BRAND NEW BAG!
I have been so busy in the past 4 months trying to come up with my next product assortment for Global Chic at Hsn. I went to a Morrocan Bazaar in new york and fell completely in love with the tiles! the blues, the browns, purples and oranges. I got completely inspired and voila…. here comes the collection. Inspiration is an intangible thing and you never know what will move you. I test ran my favorite bag from this collection and i wasn’t the only one who loved. The paparazzi snapped while i was shopping in Soho/New York and all my friends and mag editors loved the bag as well... and now it is all yours! Enjoy! IMAN/Global Chic/Hsn.com

photo: Getty Images

FINE BEAUTY
We redesigned our site and everyone has been writing us telling us how much they like it and how easy it is to navigate. But mostly you all love the IMANTV and the behind the scene we did with Hello! Canada mag photoshoot and it would not have been possible without the help of my dear friend and makeup maven Sam Fine. Now you all know what a genius he is and now you can learn some of his techniques in his new dvd The Basics of Beauty by Sam Fine that will be available for sale on amazon.com sometime in May. Check out dates on www.samfine.com

photo: with Sam Fine and Oscar James

ROLLING OUT
It was my honor to pose for cover of this publication for their Mother’s day issue and do a video interview for their site. There are even FREE gifts from makeup and jewelry from Iman Global Chic/hsn.com that I wore for the cover. So … HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY! Check for www.rollingout.com

photo: with videographer DeWayne Rogers

MARCH

BLAMING IT ON CANADA!
I went to Toronto Fashion Week to shoot the finale of Project Runway Canada and all I can say is tune in on April 14th to witness the winner of season 2! I think we have outdone ourselves this season and definitely will show the whole of Canada why we won a Gemini award for the first season and surely have shown class and great design! The finalists showed their collection at Toronto Fashion Week and I invited season 1 winner Biddell to come to New York first to do a fitting and design for me a dress to wear on the final show. I was flabbergasted to find out he has never been to New York! WOW! How can a designer live so close to New York and not ever visit the fashion capital of the world? He did this beautiful dress for me which i am wearing it so check it out below. But that wasn’t the only thing I did there.... I also, went for a cocktail party at the famous Holt Renfrew dept store and posed with half of my glam team, Beau Nelson, for the final time this season. Ah... the beauty, the beauty of it all.... Au Revoir, Canada!

Photo: in and with Bidell
Photo: at Holt Renfrew
Photo: with Beau Nelson

FEBRUARY

BRAVO PATRICK!
The beloved photographer Patrick McMullan was celebrated by Interview magazine for shooting for them for 20 years! They threw a party for him in the old but famed establishment Elaine’s on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and only Patrick can draw an eclectic crowd these days to trek above 14th street. It was such a hoot to see people i haven’t seen for years and catch up with young and old friends. Here is looking at you kid!

With Glenn O’Brien of Interview Magazine and Patrick McMullan

REAL WOMEN … REAL BEAUTIES.
It is easy to make celebrities look good but it is fabulous to make real women look gorgeous! This is exactly what we did and do at IMAN Cosmetics…. making beautiful faces one face at a time. We transformed these girls the best that they can be so let us help you to put your best face forward during these economic hard times. Looking fab is the best revenge. check out IMAN Cosmetics on Youtube to get more inspirations and the products that will get you there ….. all on real women.

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JANUARY

YMA FASHION SCHOLARSHIP
The year started with a bang. The YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund honored Mindy Grossman, Les Steiger and Zac Posen. This non-profit association gives to students who are gifted and talented the means to become educated ( as well as intern and work!). All of the 4 students this year were awarded $25,000 scholarships for their fashion studies. I was there to present the award to my dear friend Mindy Grossman, CEO of IAC Retailing which HSN is among many that she oversees.

photo: with Molly Sims

NOMAD: 2 WORLDS
This exhibition was hosted by Deborra-Lee and Hugh Jackman of Nomads: 2 Worlds, Reconciliation Through Art. It is a rare glimpse and an exceptional presentation of Australian art and culture to support a casue with profound global impact. It was inspired by the Australian reconciliation movement (initiated by Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd’s apology speech in Feb 2008) between the modern western culture that settled there some two hundred years ago and its Aboriginal people, the world’s oldest surviving culture.

photo: with Hugh Jackman

OBAMANIA
Wow what a difference 4 years make! I met the then Senator and his wife Michelle at Oprah Winfrey’s Legends Ball in 2005 weekend festivities and i have treasured this photo since then as Leontyne Price is also photographed with us. Right in this photo is our past and future. Congratulations, Mr President.

photo: with Michelle Obama, Barack Obama and Leontyne Price