Supermodel Iman was the belle of the ball at the American Ballet Theatre Fall Gala on Wednesday night, as she walked the red carpet in a rare public appearance. Iman, who was married to David Bowie for 23 years until his death in 2016, looked dazzling in a gown that showcased her lithe figure, featuring a structured, off-the-shoulder neckline and a sculptural, layered skirt with architectural folds. The gown was made from a lustrous, silvery-blue satin fabric that shone under the lights and featured intricate red floral embroidery cascading down the front.
Iman accessorized with a diamond bracelet and delicate diamond earrings, and wore her glossy tresses in a side-parted bob with glamorous curls. The 70-year-old came to support ballerina Misty Copeland, who announced her retirement from the American Ballet Theatre in October after becoming the first African American principal dancer at the company.
The model rarely appears at awards shows and industry events, following the death of her beloved husband and music legend David Bowie, who passed away in 2016 after a battle with liver cancer. The couple first met on a blind date in 1990, yet Iman shared in a recent interview with Elle Spain that the duo almost crossed paths several times before their first official meeting.
When asked if their love was meant to be, Iman responded, "Without a doubt," before explaining, "The first time I attended one of his concerts was in New York in 1976. I was invited backstage to say hello, but I didn't, and whenever he played there, I would always go see him, although I never got to meet him." The A-lister added that she befriended David's hairstylist after moving to California in 1990, without realizing the rocker's connection.
"[The hairstylist and I] became friends, and he was the person who set up the blind date, disguising it as a birthday party. David just happened to be in Los Angeles that week for a concert...So, yes, he was my destiny. It just had to be," she shared. After David's death, Iman and their daughter, Alexandria Zahra Jones, retreated from public life to grieve in private.
"It was too much. Too much. We lived a very private life, and suddenly it felt like there was a target on mine and my daughter's heads," she told British Vogue in 2022. "It got to the point where we had to leave our home [in New York City] because the public were always at the front door. Which I admire. I get it. But there was a point where it was like: 'Okay, go home now.'"
Iman continued: "You had people who would take your picture, sell it and then come to you and say, 'I feel your pain.' I'm like, 'No…you don't feel my pain, get away from me.'" In the years since, the Somalia native has poured her focus into her family.
"I think of myself now as a mom and grandma first...that's my place in life," she shared. And as for her age, there's only one thing slowing Iman down at 70 years old. "I can't really wear heels anymore. I know my limitations," she quipped.