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

With Gwen Stefani and Bowie backstage

Look what a gem I found! Bowie and Gwen Stefani were performing on Fashion Rocks and I was a presenter. It was so much fun watching David in a Thom Browne suit and a “black and blue” eye! All the audience gasped as they thought he must have been involved in a fight back stage! It was only pure theatre! Leave it to Bowie.

With Gwen Stefani and Bowie

CONDE NAST/BLACK BALL for KEEP A CHILD ALIVE Once again we were the hit of the town as Alicia Keys and I co-hosted our annual fundraiser Black Ball for Keep a Child Alive and this year we honored Bono, Nick Redding for S.A.F.E. and Dr. Pasquine for their tireless work on AIDS in Africa. The concert was amazing! Alicia Keys and her band rocked the joint in this case the Hammerstein Ballroom with performances by Alicia Keys, Gwen Stefani, Sheryl Crow and the amazing Kathleen Battle! The afterparty was just as hot! As Amy Sacco rebuild her famous Bungalow 8 on the 7th floor of the building! I presented the award to Bono who at the end knelt by my feet and called me the true African Queen! Thank you all for the support and don’t forget to donate towards Keep a Child Alive