Iman Explains Why Solo Travel Is ‘One Thing Every Woman Should Do’

Iman at 2023 Prince's Trust Gala
Iman at 2023 Prince's Trust Gala

Longtime supermodel Iman Abdulmajid believes young women can learn to be comfortable with themselves when they solo travel.

The 68-year-old beauty is InStyle’s latest cover — and she spoke about the benefits of solo travel in a social media clip for the outlet. Her thoughts about women taking trips by their lonesome came after a TikTok user asked, “What is one thing every woman should do at least once in her lifetime?”

In response, Iman said, “One thing every woman should do once in her lifetime is to go away on holiday on her own. I think the reason I recommend that is because as we get older, we become more comfortable with our own company. Young girls need to learn that.”

The supermodel’s Q&A with social media users was a part of a “Pearls of Wisdom” series InStyle did with her.

What Does Iman Love About Travel?

Iman feels beauty and travel are inextricably linked. In 2021, the Iman Cosmetics founder and model told Coveteur that travel has been an educational and enriching part of her life since childhood.

“Because my father was an ambassador, we were able to travel the world, starting from when we were very young. To be exposed early on to such diverse groups of people, you view the world in a different way,” said the Somalia native. “That afforded me the ability to see all kinds of beauty, all kinds of people, all shapes and sizes and skin colors. I’ve always been the one to tell people that the best education for young people is to travel. You can’t see it through a documentary. The scents and the smells and the vibes of a country—that’s what makes travel so interesting. And you see all different points of view, like how a specific group views beauty or religion. The diversity and all the differences amongst us are what makes us really beautiful.”