23 year old supermodel Imaan Hammam is highly regarded in the world of International fashion. Born (5 October 1996) of an Egyptian father and a Moroccan mother, she has graced the runways of major fashion shows for iconic labels like Hugo Boss, Vera Wang, Versace and Prada. Imaan, whose name means “faith” in Arabic, has already been awarded International Model of the Year, back in April 2014, when she was 18.
Hammam has become a major figure of influence for the advancement of diversity in fashion, with a personal ethos that encourages all young girls to follow their dreams, no matter what. In Allure Magazine’s diversity issue she was quoted as saying, “I’m half Moroccan, half Egyptian, and I was born in Amsterdam. I’m Muslim, and I’m super proud of my heritage and of my roots. I want to be a role model for young girls who are struggling with racism or struggling with their looks or with their skin color. I had Naomi Campbell, who I looked up to as a black powerful woman. But there aren’t many Arabic models, and being an African-Arabic model, I’m trying to open doors for more Arabic girls.”
According to Vogue Magazine (March 2018) Hammam has already graced “a record number of magazine covers (last year alone [2017] she fronted nine Vogue editions), her name is constantly associated to the tagline “the face of now.” Her CV also counts campaigns for Céline and Shiseido, and she is one of the very few, if not the only, black Arab models to become the face of Chanel Makeup. “It is nice to know that you can come from nothing and make it in this business,” says Hammam, who is Dutch-born to Moroccan and Egyptian parents.”
In her 2018 Vogue interview she says of herself, “My life in fashion started when I was discovered on the streets of Amsterdam. I had just finished my classes and was outside, walking with my friends. Suddenly, a woman started running in my direction… she asked me if I wanted to be a model. Soon afterwards, I signed my first contract.” Concerning her childhood, she said, “I had a very happy childhood, surrounded mostly by women, speaking Arabic at home. Although I was a bit of a tomboy – always ready for a soccer game – I also loved to dive into my mother’s closet to try on her vast and stylish collection of dresses and high heels. From the age of nine, I staged full runway shows and looked at fashion magazines after school. I always knew I wanted to become a model.
Between the ages of 13 and 15, I trained hard to be on the runway, walking in heels and practicing strange expressions in front of the mirror. My role models were Raquel Zimmermann, Liya Kebede, and Iman (Abdulmajid). Finally, at 16, my agent thought I was ready, and I was sent to Paris. My first casting was for Givenchy, which was under the helm of Riccardo Tisci. We connected right away and he asked me to open his show. This launched my career and I started to be requested for New York. My first big Vogue US cover followed, when I was 17. It was the September 2014 issue and I was photographed alongside great names such as Karlie Kloss and Cara Delevingne.”
IMAGE: DESIGNSCENE.NET – Imaan Hamman’s Eighth, out of a total of Nine, Vogue Cover appearances in 2017 was for the Vogue Netherlands: October Edition.
Imaan is also a keen surfer in her spare time. She currently lives in New York, but regularly returns to the world of her cultural heritage, visiting Morocco and Egypt as much as she can find opportunity do so.
