David Bowie's Wife Iman Reveals How Her Late Husband Inspired Her To Start Her Own Cosmetics Brand

Supermodel Iman, renowned for her extraordinary career on the runway, has shared how her late husband, David Bowie, played a pivotal role in boosting her confidence to create her own cosmetics line.

Iman, who shares daughter Alexandria Zahra Jones, 22, with the rockstar, opened up about the secret during a recent interview.

She also reflected on what inspired her to start the brand while she was at the height of her modeling career.

Keep on reading to learn more.

In a recent interview with NET-A-PORTER's digital title, PORTER, the 67-year-old Somali-American model and actress discussed the inspiration behind her makeup brand, Iman Cosmetics.

Per Daily Mail, she reflected on an incident that brought the idea of the brand to her mind, sharing that it happened during a Vogue photo shoot while she was still actively involved in modeling.

At the time, Iman found herself dismayed when the makeup artist applied a foundation that made her complexion appear "grey" and mismatched.

The incident then made her realize that many deficiencies still exist in the makeup industry regarding having the right product for people of color.

With the help of her late husband, David Bowie, Iman started her makeup venture in 1994, which has since grown into the massive brand it is today.

In a previous interview with People magazine, Iman shared that she fell in love with Bowie "at first sight."

However, it would take a while before the model came to the full experience of her emotion for the late rock star.

"It took me a few months but I got there," said the model who met Bowie via a blind date set up by hairstylist Teddy Antolin, per Daily Mail. "I knew him as David Jones, his real name, and not the rock star."

And while Bowie is no longer on earth with us, his impact on Iman lives on via her brand.

"He was actually the one who gave me the confidence to do Iman Cosmetics," Iman told PORTER. "He asked, 'What are you scared of?' I didn't know if I could do it and [was worried] about failing. He said, 'What if it fails?' He was convinced I was going to regret not doing it."

Iman's interview with the publication also included a shoot that saw her don a series of refined outfits, which all captured her remarkable physique and flawless modeling skills.

In one shot, the sexagenarian wore a dark green gown covering her head to toe. Atop the outfit, she wore a robe coat of a darker shade and posed seductively for the camera.

A second picture featured Iman wearing what appeared to be a white gown that also fully covered her body. She matched it with a long black coat, giving off a monochromatic vibe.

Iman also wore an all-black attire that consisted of an inner blouse, a normal-length coat, and billowing trousers. For the shot, she wore her hair loose in a full curly form, putting her dazzling earrings on display.

While the shoot might have made many imagine what it would be like to have Iman walk the runway again, the model shot down any possibility of it happening.

"I've never been good at doing three or four things at once. I've worked with all the designers, but I haven't been to a fashion show since 1989," Iman said in response to a question about whether she plans on making a comeback.

She added, per Daily Mail, "I don't want to go back, I want to go forward."

Iman's makeup venture has since expanded to include a perfume line. Back in 2021, she released her first fragrance, Love Memoir, in partnership with Batallure Beauty.

At the time, she revealed that the new scent was inspired by her romance with Bowie, who passed away from liver cancer at age 69 in 2016.