The paragon supermodel doesn’t just model the clothes they’re dressed in; they chameleon into the character they were made for, hair, makeup and all. This is something that came easily to Somali supermodel Iman, born Iman Mohamed Abdulmajid, a skill she inherently possessed as the muse to the biggest names in fashion, from Yves Saint Laurent to Thierry Mugler.
From the start of her career in 1975, Iman has been praised for her ability to exemplify the complementary yet intricate relationship between fashion and beauty, both on and off the runway. She quickly catapulted to stardom beyond the high-fashion stratosphere, becoming the first Black model to secure a makeup contract under Revlon’s Polished Ambers cosmetics brand. There wasn’t a hair or makeup combination she was afraid of. Most often, Iman was styled with protruding, sculpture-esque hair, abstract eye shadow and vibrant lip colors.
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An unfortunate car accident in 1983 forced her to put a temporary pause on her modeling career. However, with the same ease with which her hypnotic beauty, as previously described by WWD, first pervaded the industry, she returned to the runway to continue the irrevocable chapter in her career for the following six years.
Ahead, WWD takes a look back at Iman’s best beauty moments on the runway, from her high contrast makeup in Michael Vollbracht’s 1981 show to her untameable mane at Patrick Kelly’s ready-to-wear fall 1989 presentation.
Michael Vollbracht’s 1981 Fashion Show
In designer Michael Villbracht’s 1981 fashion show, Iman matched her multicolor poncho with an eccentric makeup look straight from the pages of an editorial spread. On her eyes, she wore a navy shadow, which carried across her lids and into her waterline.
An iridescent highlight undercut her faded eyebrows, while her bone structure was embellished with a rosy pink blush. Iman’s lips drew a stark contrast to her eye makeup, dressed in a deep red lipstick with gloss layered over.
Yves Saint Laurent 1982 Rive Gauche Show
Iman’s runway look for the historic Yves Saint Laurent 1982 Rive Gauche show, which finished in exactly 55 minutes, will forever be remembered for the spikey hairdo. The whimsical element of her aesthetic saw her tresses styled like a peacock’s train on top of her head, feathers jutting between the slicked strands.
Kenzo Spring 1983 Presentation
Iman morphed into a Kenzo muse for the brand’s 1983 presentation, boasting a dramatic ponytail extension that fell to her waistline.
A banana-yellow ribbon was tied a few inches up from her long ends. Her makeup was moodier in comparison to the bright-hued garment she wore down the runway. Dark charcoal shadow swept across her eyes, while a pale pink was added to her lips.
Thierry Mugler Spring 1984 Ready-to-Wear
Iman was a known inspiration to Thierry Mugler throughout the 1980s. She would often walk in Mugler’s shows sporting a wide variety of aesthetics, many with futuristic undertones.
For her appearance in the spring 1984 ready-to-wear show, Iman was given a heavy amount of black and blue shadow; the color extended in a long triangle past the corners of her eyes. Her eyebrows were filled in darker than usual, and red blush was placed only under her cheekbones. The lips added a touch more color to the distinctive clouds around her eyes with red lipstick and clear gloss.
Yves Saint Lauren 1985 Ready-to-Wear Collection
Iman would often don a hat or a complex hairdo for her part in a Yves Saint Laurent show. However, for the fashion house’s 1985 ready-to-wear collection, her hairstyle was muted, coiffed in a pixie cut, blown to the left.
The natural style was contrasted with a colorful visage, comprised of a deep periwinkle eye shadow and a matte red lipstick shade.
Chloe Spring 1984 Ready-to-Wear Show
In Karl Lagerfeld’s spring 1984 collection for Chloe, Iman boasted a theatrical hairstyle that was meant to resemble the collection’s ubiquitous ode to needleworkers. Her curly hair was slicked completely back into a cylinder shape like a wheel of thread. A long silver pin was then pierced through the side like a sewing needle.
Thierry Mugler Spring 1988 Fashion Show
Iman’s beauty aesthetic for the 1988 Thierry Mugler spring 1988 show in Paris was as wild as the feathered garment she wore. Her hair was teased and frizzed well above her head like a lion’s mane.
The thick extensions fell to the left of her face. Adding to the primitive nature, Iman’s eyes were colored with brown shadow, and her lips boasted a vicious wine-colored lipstick.
Donna Karan 1990 Ready-to-Wear Presentation
As a Donna Karan model for her 1990 ready-to-wear show, Iman was styled with an ultra-short pixie cut and minimal makeup. The beauty aesthetic was more refined and less theatrical compared to her looks for Mugler and Yves Saint Laurent, but still glamorous nonetheless.
Patrick Kelly Ready-to-Wear Fall 1990
Iman walked the Patrick Kelly 1990 ready-to-wear runway with a hair and makeup look belonging to the trademark beauty trends of the ’80s. Her hair was messily teased in a half-up, half-down ‘do like a bird’s nest on top of her head. The bouffant style was paired with pared-down makeup, complete with brown shadow dusted across her lids and buffed out under her eyebrows.
