Iconic supermodel Naomi Campbell made a stylishly late entrance to accept her Fashion Icon Award at Harlem’s Fashion Row’s Fashion Show and Style Awards.
Campbell humorously noted her tardiness during her acceptance speech, taking the opportunity to throw a jab at Anna Wintour.
“I have to speak my truth,” Campbell said. “I’ve always been unapologetically truthful, right? So why should I change it now at this age?”
This all started when Anna nodded to Campbell’s tendency to be late during her top-of-the-bill introduction for the model extraordinaire, also calling her “bold, bright and entirely, unquestionably herself.”
she said:
“I am a very punctual person, and I have the honor of presenting tonight to someone who is often late.”
“Naomi is honestly one of the most fearless people I know, a quality that was evident at the very, very start of her career when she began to speak the truth about inequality and injustice. And this was at a time when it was not so common to do so.
“Naomi’s bravery has benefited the entire fashion industry. Though, I can tell you that being on the receiving end of that fearlessness can be – oh what can I say? Quite exciting? But it’s her honesty that makes her so incredible to be around, a muse and inspiration for designers,”.
Naomi’s response
According to USA Today Campbell was very much herself, statuesque and unflinching in her comments as she accepted the honor at Harlem’s Fashion Row event, which served as an unofficial kickoff of sorts to New York Fashion Week, which begins Friday (although Ralph Lauren and more are getting an early start).
After a second introduction from fellow honoree of the night Samira Nasr, Harper’s Bazaar editor-in-chief, Campbell began her speech with the obvious.
“Yes, Naomi’s always late,” she said, laughing, “but I believe in my high power, and I want to thank my higher power for having me be here.”
Campbell’s speech took a slightly unexpected detour that left the audience agape when she referred to frequent collaborator Wintour as “the other lady.”
“It’s so important that I’m here today, and I’m honored to be here in Harlem,” Campbell said. “Everything’s going to work out the way it’s going to work out. It wasn’t my choice to have the other lady. I’d much rather have this,” gesturing to Nasr’s reintroduction.
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In her speech, Campbell also credited Wintour, with whom she worked on her inaugural Vogue magazine cover.
“We must still say thank you to Anna Wintour, as she did take the time to come here and give me the award even though I wasn’t here,” Campbell said. “So thank you, Anna Wintour, for your support in my career from 1987, meeting a young Black girl from South London in British Vogue offices and taking a chance in giving me a shoot. And so I thank you for your influence and your continuing support in pushing fashion forward also.”
Campbell also thanked a laundry list of Black models who blazed the trail for her success, including Iman, Bethann Hardison, Naomi Sims and more, as well as her mother and grandmother.
“This award is as much theirs as it is now my daughter’s,” Campbell said. “I am deeply grateful for this recognition. I don’t see it as accumulation. Rather, I see it as a call to action. Yes, our industry has made strides, but we still have a long way to go.”
