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When in the UK, it doesn’t take long before the subject inevitably turns to the weather – especially given that it’s 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’s Iman’s first appearance at the Fashion Awards (“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 is reuniting 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 has opted for look eight from Harris Reed’s spring/summer 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 will be accessorising her look with bespoke lab-grown diamond earrings from Pandora, along with a series of lab-grown diamond rings, explaining that she “loves the simplicity” and the “personal” feel.
Although Iman is presenting stylist and longtime friend Sam Woolf with his Style Moment of the Year award tonight for his work with Doechii, the supermodel styles 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.”
With a reputation for legendary fashion moments (who could forget Meghan Markle’s surprise appearance in 2018), the evening proved to be no different. From Anok Yai in Dilara Fındıkoğlu to Alex Consani turning out in McQueen, the blue carpet served as a reminder that the future of fashion is in safe hands.
Scroll down to see every standout look from the night.
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