“It’s Great To Take Risks”: Iman on Making Her 2025 Fashion Awards Debut
When in the U.K., it doesn’t take long before the subject inevitably turns to the weather—especially given that it was chucking it down in London on the morning of the much-anticipated Fashion Awards. “I’m good, except for your weather,” Iman laughs over the phone, when I enquire as to how she is. Is there a contingency plan for tonight’s red carpet? “It’s fashion—we go for it!” comes the reply.
Surprisingly, it was Iman’s first appearance at the Fashion Awards tonight (“people forget I retired in 1989”), but she’s long admired the “beautiful tension between rebellion and refinement” that makes British fashion unique. For the occasion, the supermodel reunited with London-based designer Harris Reed, who memorably created her 2021 Met Gala look, comprising a gold brocade jumpsuit, overlaid with a crinoline skirt and dramatic feathered headdress. “[Harris] has really such a poetic eye and designs from a place of storytelling; [his creations are] definitely filled with drama and emotion,” she says. “His clothes mimic a bygone era, but at the same time, it‘s new.”
This time around, Iman opted for look eight from Harris Reed’s spring 2026 collection: a sweeping yellow floral gown featuring a contrasting white corset. “This dress feels to me sculptural, like wearable art,” she describes. “The silhouette is really powerful, the colours are beautiful and evocative.” There won’t be a headpiece tonight, though—partly because her ginormous one from the Met Gala currently “has its own room” in storage. Instead, Iman accessorized her look with bespoke lab-grown diamond earrings from Pandora, explaining that she “loves the simplicity” and the “personal” feel.
Although Iman was presenting stylist and longtime friend Sam Woolf with his Style Moment of the Year award tonight for his work with Doechii, the supermodel styled herself, explaining that she’s been in the business so long that she understands “what really works for me.” That doesn’t mean that she plays it safe—in fact, far from it. “I personally think sometimes [looking] bad is better than not even being mentioned, you know,” she laughs. “It’s great to take risks.”
When it comes to beauty, Iman—who turned 70 in July—says it’s all about skincare. “My mother used to say to me, and I remember very clearly, ‘The skin you take care of in your teens is what you’re going to inherit in your 70s’. [I am] the proof of it,“ the model says. “I keep my routine very simple but consistent: a great cleanser, vitamin C, moisturiser, [and] definitely SPF every single day.”
Of course, Iman has long served as a role model for young models coming up through the industry—among them, Anok Yai, who is receiving this year’s Model of the Year Award. What other words of wisdom can she share for the next generation of models? “The best advice I can give is for a girl to know who you are before the world tells you who to be,” Iman replies. “Be professional, be on time, be kind, be curious, and protect yourself. Your career is a marathon, not a sprint. Longevity comes with integrity and willingness to grow.”