Wednesday August 7, 2019
Sarah Maisey
Model and humanitarian Iman is set to be
awarded the Franca Sozzani Award later this month. AFP
Somali-American supermodel Iman is to receive the Franca Sozzani
Award later this year to mark her contribution to the dual universes of
modelling and humanitarian work.
Named
for the late editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia, Franca Sozzani,
the award is designed to honour women for their artistic work as well as social
commitments.
The late editor in chief of Vogue Italia,
Franca Sozzani, in who's memory the Franca Sozzani Awards have been
established. AP
Despite a hectic schedule at Vogue, Sozzani was an active and
vocal supporter of humanitarian projects around the world, including Convivio
in Milan (which she established) to help prevent the spread of Aids. The
journalist was also named ambassador for the Fashion4Development in 2012 for
the United Nations, and even Harvard Medical School has The Franca Sozzani
Chair to help continue her work.
The
Franca Sozzani Award was established by her son following her death in 2016
from a rare form of lung cancer and Iman is the third recipient. The previous
two winners are actress Julianne Moore and actress and philanthropist Salma
Hayek.
Announcing of the award, Sozzani’s son, photographer and film
director Francesco Carrozzini, explained: “Iman’s work has disrupted the fashion
industry in a way similar to Franca’s: bold, innovative and inclusive.
“Using
her platform to the best of its potential, Iman’s work from lobbying the CFDA
for an increase of diversity on the runway to impactful humanitarian work,
displays her true passion and focus. We are truly honoured for her to accept
the Franca Sozzani Award.”
Iman started her modelling career in New York in 1975, as one of
the very few women of colour in the industry. Hard-working and pioneering, she
helped pave the way for future generations of models of colour in an almost
all-white industry. With her elegant, willowy frame, Iman was much in demand,
and was even described by French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent as his
"dream woman".
Aside
from her career, Iman has dedicated much of her time to humanitarian work,
working with organisations such as The Children’s Defense Fund, Action Against
Hunger and the Raise Hope For Congo campaign.
In
2013, alongside model Naomi Campbell and model agent Bethann Hardison, Iman
help set up the Diversity Collection to highlight the lack of diversity on the
runway. Under its banner, brands such as Marc Jacobs and Victoria Beckham named
and shamed for a lack of inclusivity in t
In 2010 she was recognised with the CFDA’s
Fashion Icon Award, and is on the panel for for Vogue’s Forces of
Fashion, as well as the Apple Award. She was also married to singer David Bowie
for 24 years until his death in early 2016.
The award ceremony will be held in Venice on
Tuesday, August 27, the ahead of the Venice Film Festival, and will be hosted
by Carrozzini and his wife Bee, daughter of Anna Wintour. Like previous
occasions, it will be held at Sozzani’s favourite hotel in Venice, the Belmond
Hotel Cipriani.