52 year-old Somali-born former supermodel Iman currently hosts Project Runway Canada, and she’s not shy about touting her qualifications for the job. Iman says she’s much more qualified to host the fashion-judging contest than Heidi Klum, the host of the US version. Iman starts by saying “Not to belittle Heidi Klum…” and then goes on to sort-of do just that, saying that she has so much fashion experience while we’re supposed to come to conclusion that Klum is less knowledgeable about the industry:
She says, “Definitely Heidi and I come from two different places. I’m not belittling Heidi Klum, but I have been in fashion much more than she has. Not to toot my own horn, but I have been one of the best runway girls.
“I know clothes, and I know about working hand in hand with designers, I mean, I’ve worked with Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs, John Galliano. Yves St Laurent – he created a whole collection for me. Tom Ford, Valentino. Versace. Jean Paul Gaultier. Thierry Mugler… I could go on and on.”
[From Starpulse via Gossip Rocks]
Iman has been married to rock legend David Bowie for over 15 years, and they have a daughter together, Lexi, 7. Iman also has a 28 year-old daughter from her first marriage to basketball player Spencer Haywood, and is the stepmother to Bowie’s 37 year-old son from his first marriage. Iman says she’s a “total domestic diva” and that she cooks every night at home. She has her own cosmetic company and published a book in 2005 called The Beauty of Color: The Ultimate Beauty Guide for Skin of Color
When I read this story I was surprised that Iman would say this as I remember seeing her on Oprah and she didn’t seem full of herself to me. I also watched another interview with her on YouTube and again she didn’t give the impression that she was stuck up. Maybe that goes along with the territory when you’ve been a supermodel though, and it’s possible this quote was taken out of context and someone asked her specifically about the differences between herself and the US host of the show. Heidi Klum isn’t exactly famous for her high fashion experience and is best known as a swimsuit and Victoria’s Secret model, although she certainly has catwalk experience.
Iman is shown at “A Night of a Thousand Lights” Benefiting Saint Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital on 4/23/08, thanks to PRPhotos. She looks amazing.
Oh Iman. I adore you, honey but really. They hired Heidi not for her qualifications but her high profile coupled with recent work experience, watchability and accessability to the general audience they would aiming for.
This is one beautiful woman.
No brag, just facts. Could this have anything to do with
PR being sold to Lifetime ?
Iman’s only stating a fact. She was much more involved in high-end couture than Heidi and she’s been in the business much longer, so of course she has superior skills. I’ve haven’t seen her on Project Runway Canada but I’ve seen Heidi and, although I do like her, I can’t say I was blown away by her presenting skills.
Ah what the hell, I’m biased. Iman’s beautiful and she’s married to Bowie, and that just makes her better anyway! 😀
Klum’s more marketable, but Iman definitely has been much more involved with the industry. She’s a pretty cool chick.
she is more qualified. She was a fashion model before it became “cool”. Klum is wonderful and lovely, but she is ‘just another girl’.
Iman is an icon. and v v possibly one of the most beautiful women on the planet. (married to Bowie doesn’t hurt either, he has legitimate fashion cred as well)
I’ve watched both versions of the show, and I don’t mind either one as the host. Iman certainly appears more knowledgeable about the industry and process altogether, and I love that she’s blunt about what she thinks. But Heidi’s got her own appeal, too, and is way less intimidating. I love ’em both!
Um… they’re both HOSTS of the show, not mentors or even contributers, really. You don’t have to be an expert to host… Ryan Seacrest isn’t an expert in singing, Jeff Probst isn’t an expert survivalist, and I doubt Julie Chen has been holed up in a house doing stupid challenges and lying to people recently (I could be wrong on that one, though).
Unlike the other three you mention Diva, Heidi votes
on ” who is in und who is out”. Because she is assessing and voting along side Michael Kors, Nina Garcia and a third fashion industry, ( granted not always), type she should have equal industry cred which she doesn’t. She is however one of the shows producers so there you have it.
they’re both qualified… Iman even more so but it doesn’t mean that Heidi ISN”T qualified. Iman just has MORE on Heidi is all.
why is iman complaining, she hosts another version of the same show and has been sucessful in other business ventures, she should be grateful for the life she lives and stop hating.
have to agree with snappyfish. these are all cold hard facts. klum passes on all kinds of expert opinions on whats good and whats not and has pretty much walked around in a bra and underwear for most of her career. she has nothing but Project runway and her modeling (and sad attempt at singing) under her belt. Iman is a complete fashion and modeling icon.
Yup. Snappyfish & Bros said it right. Iman is/was a fashion icon. She did all the big shows for years. Her experience is far more vast then underwear model Klum. When has Heidi ever modeled on a real fashion runway? I don’t think I’ve ever seen her on anything but Victoria’s Secret….am I wrong? Anyone?
That’s about the same as saying your more qualified to jump headfirst into a dry swimming pool.
Iman probably is more qualified becsaue of her experience in years…but it isn’t her show. PR is owned by Heidi. If Iman wants a show she could always produce one of her own…Heidi has a chirpy sweet girl next door quality. Iman is too chic for PR…maybe a show about couture behind the scenes…
I love both ladies. However, I really enjoy Heidi’s energy that comes across on whatever show she’s hosting. Their both fantastic! A friend of mine met Iman & her husband & they were both super polite & kind to everyone (including the cleaning staff).
I met Iman about 15 years ago and she was a total b*tch. Met her at a function that I was running and she was stuck up, aloof, not friendly whatsoever. She was also very rude to everyone who had stood in line for several hours to meet her, acted like she was above all of us. Have never forgotten that experience, so I wasn’t surprised when I read this.