Iman Bio
Iman is a Somali-born fashion model, supermodel, actress and entrepreneur. She was born as Zara Mohamed Abdulmajid on July 25, 1955 in Mogadishu, Somalia. Her zodiac sign is leo. She is also known as Iman Abdulmajid.
In January 1986, Iman brought her signature glamour and star appeal to Playboy.
Iman has beautiful enhanced breasts, soulful brown eyes, and rich brown hair. With a sensually shaped 34-24-36 frame, she's a true embodiment of Playboy allure.
Iman’s path to international fashion began far from the New York studios that would eventually make her famous. Born in Somalia and raised in a diplomatic family, she became a refugee as a teenager and later studied political science at the University of Nairobi. A brief first marriage ended as her life moved in a different direction. In 1975, photographer Peter Beard noticed her walking through Nairobi and introduced her to Wilhelmina Models, although his publicity campaign later romanticised her educated, cosmopolitan background into a more exotic discovery story.
After arriving in New York, Iman secured her first Vogue assignment in 1976 and rapidly became one of fashion’s most distinctive faces. Her elegant height, sculptural features and commanding gaze made her a favourite of photographers including Irving Penn, Helmut Newton and Richard Avedon. Designers such as Halston, Gianni Versace, Donna Karan, Calvin Klein and Thierry Mugler embraced her presence, while Yves Saint Laurent famously regarded her as an ideal muse. At a time when Black models still faced substantial barriers, Iman’s success expanded the industry’s understanding of luxury, sophistication and international beauty.
Playboy featured Iman in its January 1986 issue in Peter Beard’s pictorial “Beauty and the Beasts.” Published across pages 152 and 153, the feature reunited model and photographer more than a decade after their life-changing meeting in Nairobi. Beard’s composition joined Iman’s refined fashion presence with the African wildlife imagery that had become central to his work, producing something closer to an adventurous fine-art editorial than a conventional centerfold. She appeared as an internationally celebrated supermodel, not as a Playmate of the Month.
Iman eventually transformed her experience in the makeup chair into a successful business career. After years of watching artists struggle to find appropriate foundation shades for her complexion, she launched Iman Cosmetics in 1994, creating products designed especially for women with darker skin tones. The company made her an early leader in inclusive beauty, long before diversity became a standard industry promise. Her wider work has included books, fashion collections, film appearances and television hosting, while the CFDA recognised her influence with its Fashion Icon Award in 2010.
Her 1992 marriage to David Bowie became one of fashion and music’s most admired partnerships, lasting until his death in 2016. Yet Iman’s identity has never depended solely upon the famous man beside her. As a philanthropist and CARE Global Advocate, she has spoken about displacement, poverty and the dignity of refugees while supporting women and vulnerable communities. Her Playboy feature captured her beauty at its most elemental, but her enduring legacy rests on something broader: the authority with which she turned visibility into influence, entrepreneurship and meaningful change.
