Supermodel Iman, 55, thinks its shame models no longer work intimately with designers like they did when she walked the runway.

The supermodel – who was named as this year’s Fashion Icon at last night’s (07.06.10) Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) awards – wishes the beauties of now were able to have more effort into what they wear, like she did.

She said: In my day it was, do you similar to that? Would you be dressed in it that way?

You could be your own person and nobody walked the similar way on the runway. Don’t get me incorrect, there are great girls today. But they have lost that task, of collaborating with the designers, there is not that relationship anymore.

The Somalian-born beauty – who is married music legend David Bowie – also admitted it was very gratifying to be given the award and said she can’t wait for hot young designer Alexander Wang to now dress her.

She told the New York Times newspaper that the award came as a surprise but it does the ego good. I plane to get Alexander up on his offer to dress me now!

Iman, 55, has had a diverse and wide-ranging fashion career, emerging as a high fashion model to designers including Calvin Klein and Yves Saint-Laurent, and in 2007 she commenced her own signature make-up line on the Home Shopping Network.

She also works for a number of charities including the Children’s Defence Fund and remain a Child Alive. She wedded ‘Fashion’ hitmaker Bowie in 1992.