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Iman is outraged at racial pay disparities in the modeling world.
The 67-year-old model first entered the industry in the 1970s and explained how she refused to work after moving to the US because she was paid less than white models.
Iman told TheWrap: “When I got here, one of the things I was faced with was … there’s a difference in pay between black models and white models that I can’t understand.”
Recalling a conversation with her agent, the Somali model continued: “I said to her, ‘Listen, I know this is a racist act, but let me explain it in a way you can all understand .’
“I want to get paid for the services I perform, which means, I want to get paid for the same work she does.”
Iman founded her own cosmetics line, Iman Cosmetic, in 1994 and explains how she took action to ensure she was protected in the fashion industry as a black model.
The star, who was married to the late music icon David Bowie, said: “I knew it at the time, I was under 19, and that image was my passport to the industry.
“So I have to protect it, I have to figure something out, because I’m going to be facing a makeup artist day in and day out that’s not going to give you anything.”
The fashion industry has made progress on racial equality, Iman said, but she warned that more needs to be done, as she recalled that the number of black models used in the 2013 fashion show was minimal.
She said: “Conversations are happening, change is happening, but what I’ve always said (is) don’t let your feet loose.
“Believe me, before we know it, we might be back in 2013 in a second.”
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