Iman to receive prestigious Franca Sozzani Award in recognition of model's artistic and humanitarian work

Model Iman is to receive the third Franca Sozzani Award in Venice later this month.

WWD reports the Somali-American model and entrepreneur will be the recipient of the award which recognises women who have made a difference in their artistic work and social commitments.

The award was established by the family of the late Vogue Italia editor-in-chief Franca Sozzani in 2017. Actor Julianne Moore was the award’s first recipient, followed by actor and philanthropist Salma Hayek last year.

Speaking of Iman’s award win, Sozzani’s son, photographer and film director Francesco Carrozzini, said: “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.”

During the 1970s and 1980s, Iman became internationally known as one of the most successful supermodels of her generation, modelling for fashion houses including Versace, Donna Karan, and Calvin Klein.

Describe by Yves Saint Laurent as his “dream woman”, the model went onto launch her own inclusive cosmetics range, IMAN Cosmetics, in 1994 and starred in several films including Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, No Way Out, and Lies of The Twins.

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Iman, who is the widow of the late singer David Bowie, has dedicated much of her life to humanitarian work for organisations such as The Children’s Defense Fund, Action Against Hunger and the Raise Hope For Congo campaign.

In 2010, the model received the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s Fashion Icon Award dressed in a strapless black couture Giambattista Valli gown.

In 2013, the model teamed up with former model agent Bethann Hardison and supermodel Naomi Campbell to launch a campaign to increase diversity on the catwalk in the fashion industry.

The “Diversity Coalition” identified several fashion houses which the trio said “consistently use one or no models of colour” in their runway shows including Marc Jacobs, Victoria Beckham, and Rodarte.

“The absence of people of colour on the runways and photography reinforces to our young girls that they’re not beautiful enough, that they’re not acceptable enough,” Iman told CNN at the time.

As per tradition, the Franca Sozzani Award will be presented ahead of the Venice International Film Festival on 27 August at Sozzani’s favorite Belmond Hotel Cipriani – a five-star hotel on Venice’s Giudecca island.

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An event in honour of the late editor will be hosted by Sozzani’s son, photographer and film director Francesco Carrozzini, and his wife Bee Shaffer, who is the daughter of US Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.

“My mother adored movies,” Carrozzini told attendees at the ceremony last year.

“But what she truly was passionate about was supporting strong, unconventional, committed women, who didn’t fear to take action with courage and drive and put themselves out there trying to get things changed.”

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Sozzani, who was widely recognised as the “Lady of Fashion”, died of lung cancer in 2016.

The editor, who was also the editorial director of Condé Nast Italy, received the Legion of Honour in 2012 and was appointed to the position of ambassador for the Fashion 4 Development programme within the United Nations (UN) which works to encourage fashion leads to develop sustainable development initiatives.

The journalist was also a UN Ambassador Against Hunger and received the first Swarovski Award for Positive Change weeks before her death in London which recognised her commitment to diversity and efforts to fundraise for and international charities.