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Iman is seated at a room in the Table Bay Hotel with a sprawling view of Table Mountain and ships docked at the Waterfront. Wearing a beige suit, with a cream silk shirt, she greets with a delicate handshake and her lilting European accent is the perfect adjunct for the image of sophistication she exudes.
Iman, who is hailed as one of the most beautiful women in the world, married English musician David Bowie and mothered Alexandria Zahra Jones – high profile, no doubt and yet she has managed to keep her personal life private. Quite an achievement for a model who has been credited with breaking racial boundaries in the fashion industry while gracing the covers of countless magazines.
"There was a discrepancy in rates when I came to the industry, and I was the first one to change that," she says frankly. "Racism in the industry is not hidden, it's practiced quite well actually. Some things have changed, but not everything. In 2003, there were still fewer black models. The US presidency has brought attention to the fact that the fashion and beauty industries are outdated." She believes the fashion and beauty industries also play a role in educating and informing the public.
But, it's not all bad news. "The beauty industry has changed a lot in the past 25 to 30 years in the US especially," she says. "You see it in the pop music industry, and in the world at large. There's been a shift from being dominantly white to including blacks and Latinas… The mixture informs the nature of the zeitgeist, the streets. It's a feeling of celebration of cultures rather than one image."
Speaking at her product launch in South Africa, she recalled being asked to bring her own foundation by a make-up artist when she first arrived in New York, and how no white model she worked with had to do the same. That was is 1975. She still remembers the incident, she says, because it prompted her to create Iman Cosmetics over three decades later.
"I'm 54 (now)," she says. "With beauty, it's 80% genes and 20% skincare. Skincare should be practiced from when you're quite young. You should know how to take care of your skin by the age of 13 or 14, like brushing your teeth."
At that age, Iman says cleansing and moisturising and looking at your products' SPF should already have been taught to young girls. And, yes, she does frown on teens wearing make-up to young. Or having cosmetic surgery done, for that matter.
"I wouldn't rule (cosmetic surgery) out. I'm lucky in that department, so I'm in no place to judge," says Iman. "But surgery definitely isn't for when you're young. It's an oxymoron to say you need surgery when you're 16."
Now it's time for a few quick questions!
What makes a woman beautiful?
The ideals of what is beautiful differ from country to country. If you're confident in your beauty, other people will believe it too. Kindness and a sense of self, from within, are also important. I've met some really beautiful ugly people.
If we had to snoop around in your bathroom, what would we find in your shower or around your bath?
I have a mask called SK2, it's very expensive, but it's helpful. And, of course, Iman Cosmetics. I also have a bronzer, called Afterglow. My powders are light, I don't use foundation. There are also mints, because I talk to people all day, Evian atomiser and a bottle of water.
You've dabbled in acting before, are you thinking of entering the film industry again?
I'm never acting again. It's odd, because I just stumbled into acting. Modelling is more of a business, it's about managing talent. So I've decided to leave that (acting) alone.
Do you agree with Iman? Has the beauty industry changed racially over the past few decades or not?
Iman, who is hailed as one of the most beautiful women in the world, married English musician David Bowie and mothered Alexandria Zahra Jones – high profile, no doubt and yet she has managed to keep her personal life private. Quite an achievement for a model who has been credited with breaking racial boundaries in the fashion industry while gracing the covers of countless magazines.
"There was a discrepancy in rates when I came to the industry, and I was the first one to change that," she says frankly. "Racism in the industry is not hidden, it's practiced quite well actually. Some things have changed, but not everything. In 2003, there were still fewer black models. The US presidency has brought attention to the fact that the fashion and beauty industries are outdated." She believes the fashion and beauty industries also play a role in educating and informing the public.
But, it's not all bad news. "The beauty industry has changed a lot in the past 25 to 30 years in the US especially," she says. "You see it in the pop music industry, and in the world at large. There's been a shift from being dominantly white to including blacks and Latinas… The mixture informs the nature of the zeitgeist, the streets. It's a feeling of celebration of cultures rather than one image."
Speaking at her product launch in South Africa, she recalled being asked to bring her own foundation by a make-up artist when she first arrived in New York, and how no white model she worked with had to do the same. That was is 1975. She still remembers the incident, she says, because it prompted her to create Iman Cosmetics over three decades later.
"I'm 54 (now)," she says. "With beauty, it's 80% genes and 20% skincare. Skincare should be practiced from when you're quite young. You should know how to take care of your skin by the age of 13 or 14, like brushing your teeth."
At that age, Iman says cleansing and moisturising and looking at your products' SPF should already have been taught to young girls. And, yes, she does frown on teens wearing make-up to young. Or having cosmetic surgery done, for that matter.
"I wouldn't rule (cosmetic surgery) out. I'm lucky in that department, so I'm in no place to judge," says Iman. "But surgery definitely isn't for when you're young. It's an oxymoron to say you need surgery when you're 16."
Now it's time for a few quick questions!
What makes a woman beautiful?
The ideals of what is beautiful differ from country to country. If you're confident in your beauty, other people will believe it too. Kindness and a sense of self, from within, are also important. I've met some really beautiful ugly people.
If we had to snoop around in your bathroom, what would we find in your shower or around your bath?
I have a mask called SK2, it's very expensive, but it's helpful. And, of course, Iman Cosmetics. I also have a bronzer, called Afterglow. My powders are light, I don't use foundation. There are also mints, because I talk to people all day, Evian atomiser and a bottle of water.
You've dabbled in acting before, are you thinking of entering the film industry again?
I'm never acting again. It's odd, because I just stumbled into acting. Modelling is more of a business, it's about managing talent. So I've decided to leave that (acting) alone.
Do you agree with Iman? Has the beauty industry changed racially over the past few decades or not?
