IMAN

I was deeply honored to present the Star Honoree award to my dear friend Michael Kors.  You might know him as one of the judges of “Project Runway,” but he is a beyond seasoned designer.

The Fashion Group International is the pre-eminent authority on the business of fashion and design and this year’s Star Honorees not only included my dear Michael Kors but also Frida Gianini of Gucci, Milliner Stephen Jones and Victoire de Castellane  of Dior Fine Jewelry.

The event was held at Cipriani Wall Street and packed with celebrities from Gwen Stefani, Eva Mendes, Jon Bon Jovi, Michael Stipes, Mary J. Blige, Evan Rachel Wood, Emmy Rossum  and James Franco and fashion’s biggest talents from Michael Kors (of course!), Oscar de la Renta, Vera Wang, Tommy Hilfigher  and Kenneth Cole.  

When I was just about to get up to present the award to Michael, I realized that I hadn’t  printed my speech in a bigger font….you see I need reading glasses so usually when there are no teleprompters I print my speech in humongous letters, but I didn’t check tonight as my assistant print it out for me!

I realized there is no way I could read this so I started asking around the tables for a pair of reading glasses.  After several tries and nothing, thankfully, a gentleman gave me his glasses that were a perfect match and I thought, “now I have to work the glasses in the speech!”  So I did…. and guess what?  WWD wrote:

“Iman could have easily picked up “crowd favorite” for her speech introducing fashion award winner Michael Kors.  She said ‘Thank you, Vera Wang, Tommy Hilfigher, Oscar de la Renta, and all the other designers who told me that I look more beautiful and younger than ever.  But ladies, don’t fret – getting older is a b–ch!’”

That is when I put the reading glasses on!  It pays sometimes to think fast on your feet and make mistakes or misfortunes work for you.

I said in my speech this (among other things,) “For 28 years, Michael was consistently stood for a relaxed kind of luxury which is the hallmark of American Style. His sporty glamour has traveled the fashion globe from Bond Street in London, to the Via Sant Andrea in Milan, to seven years at the helm of Celine in Paris. He has seen his American point of view become an increasingly international point of view. Watching his shows is like a 13 min escape from everyday life. He takes us away from Aspen to Gstad to Capri and Palm Beach and back to urban Manhattan.”

Congrats, Michael! Mwah!

Iman in custom made Michael Kors gown and Fred Leighton jewelry