“It’s Great To Take Risks”: Iman on Making Her 2025 Fashion Awards Debut

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 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’. the proof of it,“ the model says. “I keep my routine very simple but consistent: a great cleanser, vitamin C, moisturiser, 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.”