A Vision of Strength: Iman Continues to Celebrate David Bowie

Photography © Nadine Ijewere for British Vogue

When entering the new year, many choose a word or phrase to guide them through the first months. The editor-in-chief of British Vogue, Edward Enninful, has chosen the word strength for the the 2023 vision of the magazine. Naturally, their cover model for the first issue of the year must embody this attribute. It seems only right that Somali-born supermodel, actress, and entrepreneur Iman graces the cover of British Vogue’s January 2023 issue.

In 1990, Iman and the famous singer, David Bowie, were set up on a blind date. Two years later, they tied the knot, and their epic romance lasted over two decades. Iman and Bowie remained married until 2016, when the singer succumbed to cancer. However, Iman tells British Vogue interviewer, Funmi Fetto, “He is not my ‘late husband.’ He is my husband.” Though Bowie’s death was six years ago, Iman lives as his wife, not his widow.

Bruce Weber for Vogue

When Bowie, who was arguably one of the most influential musical artists of the 20th century, died, Iman was once again thrust into the spotlight. She had stopped modeling long before she married Bowie, and the couple raised their daughter in relative privacy. However, paparazzi and fans hounded Iman and her daughter for months after her husband’s death to tell her that they knew her pain. But Iman knew no matter how much of a super-fan a person was, there was no way they keenly felt the pain of Bowie’s loss like she did.

Iman tells British Vogue, “Grief came to visit and stayed for a while,” during her stay in their home in upstate New York. However, the model has learned, “Grief has no expiration date.” Just because his death was over six years ago, it doesn’t mean that the pain has ceased. Iman offers this wisdom to those in mourning: “Instead of fearing and thinking, ‘Oh, God, [that memory] is going to break my heart,’ just let it bring joy to you.”

Photo by Jamie McCarthy/WireImage

Over the years since his death, Iman has shared in interviews that she intends to never marry again. For the makeup entrepreneur, Bowie is still a strong presence in her life. She told People magazine in November 2021, “Sometimes I have to remind myself that I had 26 years. So I have that to sustain me.” Iman believes those years were a gift, a deposit in her heart that she can still go back to when she needs to make a withdrawal.

There is sadness present with the grief of a deceased spouse. However, Iman proves to be the pillar of strength the British Vogue editor believes her to be. “Through my memory, my love lives,” she told People. By recalling her beautiful memories, Iman is able to keep her husband alive in her heart. Her love for Bowie didn’t end when he died. Instead, it took on a new form, a way of choosing to remember so that in addition to sadness, it can also bring her joy.