Iman
Iman, who does the Global Chic apparel and accessory line for HSN, as well as having a cosmetics business, is now launching a fabric line that will be available in Calico Corners and Calico Home stores in September, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday. The story is headlined “Iman’s Next Gig: Remodelista.”
We loved her quote in the story: “Home is where I seduce my husband.”
Model/entrepreneur Iman’s Global Chic line on HSN is one of the home shopping channel’s top four sellers among more than 200 apparel and jewelry lines, according to The Sunday New York Times.
In a Style section profile headlined “Not Just Another Pretty Face,” we learn how Iman’s association with HSN came about, as well as getting a history of how she went from being a Somalian diplomat’s daughter to a super model.
Iman, who is “Ziggy Stardust” creator David Bowie, came to New York City in 1975 knowing five languages, “but had never worn makeup or high heels,” according to The Times.
We learn about her ascension as a super model, and then about how she created her own makeup line for women of color in 1994. It turned into a $25 million a year business. Later on came HSN.
HSN CEO Mindy Grossman in 2007 “was convinced that any fashion merchandise with Iman’s name on it would be a home run for her television home shopping network,” according to The Times.
Iman didn’t want to do it initially, since she had no experience as a fashion designer. But she felt comfortable starting out with caftans, which she had worn while living in Egypt.
At one point in the story, Iman shows off her HSN sequin knit wrap.
The news peg for the story is that tomorrow, Monday, Iman will be recognized as the year’s Fashion Icon by the Council of Fashion Designer of America at Lincoln Center in Manhattan.
The story also notes, as we have already reported, that Iman in September will join another home shopping vendor, QVC’s Isaac Mizrahi, as a co-host on Bravo’s “The Fashion Show.”
We hope they don’t share secrets of each other’s home shopping channels, but HSN fashion vendor Iman is going to be a co-host and judge along with QVC’s Isaac Mizrahi on “The Fashion Show,” which airs on Bravo.
Iman, the supermodel/entrepreneur who is married to space oddity David Bowie, is replacing former Destiny’s Child member Kelly Rowland on the reality show.
“We are happy to welcome Iman to the Bravo family,” Frances Berwick, Bravo’s general manager and executive vice president, said in a statement. “Breaking barriers in the fashion industry, Iman is a true pioneer and her unparalleled credibility will inspire the contestants and be a perfect match to the always exciting, Isaac Mizrahi.”
Iman does the Iman Global Chic line for HSN, and also serves as host of “Project Runway Canada.”
“The Fashion Show” became Bravo’s fashion competition show last year when “Project Runway” moved to Lifeteime Television.
Mizrahi, in turn, is doing a broad line of merchandise for QVC ranging from clothing to handbags to housewares.
Iman's leopard leggings
Model-entrepreneur Iman, who of course everyone knows is married to rocker David Bowie, was on HSN most of Saturday, as she had the Today’s Special, a luggage set.
During her afternoon show Iman was rocking those $25 leopard leggings from her Global Chic line. She had a long top over them, so the print was overwhelming. But when we checked out the item online on HSN.com, the customer reviews gave the leggings a big thumbs down.
Tracy from Jerseylicious
So we had to pass, even though we’re still tempted. The Homeshoppingista loves her animal prints, as her friends and colleagues know, but she doesn’t overdo it, like that wacky crew on “Jerseylicious.”
Iman yesterday was her usual charming, gracious self. If we looked like her, had her money and had her husband, we’ve be a bitch on wheels (wait a minute, we can be a bitch on wheels without any of those things).
Instead, Iman is like your BFF. Bowie is a lucky man.
Tennis champ Serena Williams will be on HSN Friday nearly 24/7, kicking off at midnight with the network’s Today’s Special.
Williams will be on throughout the entire day with her Signature Statement collection, which includes apparel, jewelry, handbags and accessories.
We saw her debut earlier this year, and it mainly featured blingy pave jewelry, pieces that Williams was wearing on her TV appearances. Now it looks like she has a wide range of clothes for this HSN visit,
We especially like her ruched dress at $55.
And of course, we love that bling. Bring it on Serena, with a very pretty crystal flower necklace catching our eye at $80.
HSN has a wide range of African American vendors on the air, not only Williams but also Natalie Cole, Sean Combs, Iman (David Bowie’s wife), Tina Knowles — who is Beyonce’s mom — and Carol’s Daughter.
We just got around to reading The New York Times Style Magazine from this past Sunday, and there was a nifty photo and item on Iman, who has the Global Chic line on HSN.
We can assure you, Iman is not wearing any of her HSN clothes, shoes or leggings in the full-page photo, which is part of a feature headlined “American Dreamers.” It looks like Iman, who is married to rock legend David Bowie, has 10-inch stilettos on in the photo by Robert Maxwell.
The text notes that Iman was discovered by photographer Peter Beard in 1975, when she was a student at the University of Nairobi. The 54-year-old stopped modeling in 1989, and launched her own cosmetics company, one of the first to target African American women.
The Times says that Iman’s cosmetics company grossed $25 million in the U.S. last year. The blurb doesn’t talk about Iman’s HSN Global Chic collection, which includes apparel, jewelry, shoes and handbags.
Imam told The Times that she and Bowie live in SoHo in Manhattan, and that no one bothers him “because everyone’s dressed better than he is.”
We were in Tiffany & Co. at the Short Hills Mall in Jersey Sunday, just browsing. We spotted a customer carrying a handbag that looked very much like the satchel Iman, David Bowie’s wife, does for HSN.
The Tiffany’s saleswoman complimented the patron on her purse. The customer didn’t anything. We saw the purse’s logo, and it, again, suspiciously looked like the logo for Iman’s Global Chic HSN collection.
Fess up, lady! Admit it was from HSN.
The “It” satchel from Iman goes for $120.
Sean “Diddy” Combs made his debut on HSN Monday, as did his fragrance line.
His motto seemed to be that he likes his grandfather, but he doesn’t want to smell like him. Hence the fragrances (but we hope grandpa wasn’t watching).
Combs’ products were such a hit during his first show at 11 p.m. that they all sold out. So HSN had to cancel his second scheduled show at 1 a.m., since there was no merchandise left to sell.
For Combs’ debut HSN CEO Mindy Grossman opened the company wallet and had a new set built, which looked like a sophisticated penthouse, and even had the Manhattan skyline in the background. Puff Daddy was laid back and modest, rather charming for a mogul with a multi-million dollar empire in music, fashion, TV, movies and fragrances.
“It’s a great way to reach people all over the world…I made it on HSN mom,” Combs said during his home shopping debut, where he fielded many calls from overwrought fans. “I’m blessed to be here.”
More than any of the other shopping networks, HSN has courted the African-American market, by bringing vendors in such as the hair-care line Carol’s Daughter, David Bowie’s wife Iman, and now Combs.
Talking about his award-winning men’s fragrance, I Am King, Combs said, “This is not a celebrity fragrance.”
The rapper said he helped design the cologne, in partnership with Estee Lauder. It has won the FiFi Award, which Combs called “the Oscars” of the perfume industry.
“I have a very sensitive nose,” said Combs, who described I Am King as being “a clean scent.”
He said, “I don’t like things that are overbearing.”
The name I Am King was not a boast, according to Combs, but a positive affirmation for everyone.
“I was talking about the king in all of us,” Combs said. “If we as men act as kings, we will respect our women as queens.”
Those are great sentiments, but we can’t help but note that Combs has a somewhat checkered past, which includes an arrest on a weapons charge — when he was with his then-girlfriend Jennifer Lopez — following a nightclub shooting in Manhattan. Scorpios like Combs often have a dark side.
We remember tabloid stories about an upset Lopez being dragged down to the police station with Combs the night he was arrested. Doesn’t sound very queenly. Well, that was almost 10 years ago. Leopards can change their spots.
Host Callie Northagen did the show. She seems to be HSN’s ace for interviewing high-profile talent, including Madonna and singer Natalie Cole.
HSN was also selling the men’s and women’s fragrance lines Sean John Unforgivable. The kits and gift sets ranged in price from $57 to $78. There was also a fleece robe for $60.
Combs has a vast empire, and even produced and was a judge for the MTV show “Making the Band.”
He also claimed he was a fan of the No. 2 home shopping channel.
“Sometimes when you watch HSN, you get stuck there for hours,” Combs said.
We know what you mean, Diddy.
Mo
del-turned-entrepreneur Iman, who is married to rock star David Bowie, was on HSN at midnight with the network’s Today’s Special. It’s the “Wrap Yourself In Luxury Dazzling Sequin Knit Wrap,” at $39.95.
“This is what you are going to be wearing for the whole season,” said Iman, who was clad head to toe in black.
Fact is, Iman’s hype was right on. That wrap is gorgeous, long and with hand-sown sequins. Our favorite was the pewter color.
She said that the wrap is modeled after a gift that one of her designer friends gave to her. “Mine cost thousands of dollars,” Iman told viewers.Â
Iman, who seems as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside, is very warm, friendly and funny. She goes around the world looking for unique items to translate into her line, Iman Global Chic, and bring them to HSN.
During her HSN presentations Iman often references her husband Bowie, a favorite of our mentor-best-editor-ever Marianne Paskowski. Marianne even once shared a smoke with Bowie. And we also know someone who was intimate with him (before his marriage to Iman, of course). We also hear that Bowie’s eyes are two different colors.
But we digress.
Last week during a third-quarter earnings call HSN CEO Mindy Grossman said that brands such as Iman’s Global Chic are a big part of the home shopping network’s strategy. The idea is to have loyal customers buy jewelry, apparel and accessories like handbags across the board from one vendor, like Iman.
Iman is celebrating her second anniversary on HSN all Sunday.
She mentioned that she was on Wendy Williams’ syndicated show and wound up gaving the former DJ, who lives in our town of Montclair, N.J., several of the jewelry pieces from her line that she was wearing.
Homeshoppingista's Blog By Linda Moss 