Photo: David Shankbone / CC BY 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Iman's career feels to me like a quiet argument about what a model can be. A Mogadishu-born student who studied at the University of Nairobi, she arrived in fashion with a mind already formed, and the great designers, from Versace to Saint Laurent, treated her not as a mannequin but as a muse. What I admire most is what came after the runway: entrepreneurship, an autobiography, sustained philanthropy. She turned visibility into infrastructure for women who looked like her and came from where she came from. Few figures connect Somalia, Nairobi, and the heart of Western fashion in one elegant line; she does it with unforced authority.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Iman
- Name (Japanese)
- イマン・アブドゥルマジド
- Reading
- いまん・あぶどぅるまじど
- Born
- July 25, 1955 (age 71)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Leo / Goat
- Origin
- Mogadishu, Banaadir, Somalia
- Height
- 174 cm
- Occupation
- actor / model / entrepreneur / autobiographer / film actor
2. Background
- University
- University of Nairobi
Awards & achievements
- 2017 OkayAfrica 100 Women
- 2006 Great Immigrants Award
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Iman born?
Born July 25, 1955 (age 71).
Where is Iman from?
Iman is from Mogadishu, Banaadir, Somalia.
What does Iman do?
Iman works as actor, model, entrepreneur, autobiographer, film actor.
How tall is Iman?
Iman is 174 cm.
Actor — see all → · Model — see all → · More people from Somalia →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-11
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.