My Five Essentials: Iman

When a legendary supermodel invites you to dinner, you don’t refuse. You drop whatever you’re doing, strap on your highest pair of heels, hop in a cab, and show up, pronto. No questions asked. That’s exactly what I did on a recent evening in New York City, when I received this text from a friend: “Iman would like you to join us for dinner.”I was elated to discover she is a MAJOR bag snob: her insane collection includes the Hermès Kelly and one-of-a-kind pieces by friends Karl, Paloma, and Thierry (yes that would be Lagerfeld, Picasso and Mugler). She keeps most of her clothes with a service that cleans, maintains, and delivers when she needs them. But her bags and shoes? They stay safe in her closet!As Iman often tells her hubby David (as in Bowie), “I need to see my bags before I decide what I’m going to wear!” Hey, that’s how I get dressed, as well; Iman and I have so much in common! My instant BFF elaborated, “I read Bag Snob every day. When I discovered you, I thought I knew everything about bags and had seen it all. But you always surprise me and tempt me with new bags I didn’t know I needed!”Iman even developed her own line of bags with HSN, Iman Global Chic, because she wants to give women the opportunity to buy snob bags at an affordable price point. The bags are known to sell out like crazy – that’s 75,000 bags each time she appears on HSN!Read on for the iconic model, wife, mother, entrepreneur, and bag snob’s Five Essentials:Iman Global Chic tote bag “If you’re a mom like me, you know that having one purse that’s small enough to carry everywhere yet roomy enough to pack the essentials is a necessity. This style comes in a variety of chic colors and works with every outfit.”Iman Global Chic travel bag. “As a model and businesswoman, I am constantly traveling. Whether it’s on a short flight to Florida where I film my HSN Global Chic appearances or around the globe. Having a reliable and fashionable travel tote that fits in an overhead compartment makes my life so much easier – this style is one of my favorites and a must-have when I’m on-the-go.”Hermes Kelly Crocodile bag: “This is more than a bag…it’s a true treasure and the first gift my husband bought me on my first birthday that we were together in Paris in 1991.”Iman Global Chic trend bag: “I’m a big believer in embracing trends at the right price point – this faux snakeskin shoulder bag is fun, flirty, feminine, colorful, right on Spring trend and (the best part?) it’s just $24.”Paloma Picasso: “I love this unusual vintage Paloma Picasso evening bag – there’s nothing better than using a handbag to transition an ordinary outfit into something extraordinary. This is wearable art and I absolutely love it.”From left: Nicholas Rytting (General Manager of The Box and the Snob Gusband), Iman, and moi at dinner at Waverly Inn.