Zulekha Haywood is the daughter of supermodel and entrepreneur Iman and NBA legend Spencer Haywood. Born on July 5, 1978, she grew up around two worlds that attracted enormous public attention: international fashion and professional basketball.
Her adult life took a different direction. Instead of becoming a model or athlete, Zulekha built a business career and kept a relatively low profile. She also shared an unusually personal part of her story in a 2010 Glamour essay, writing about body image, lifelong dieting, health problems, and gastric bypass surgery.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Zulekha Haywood |
| Date of Birth | July 5, 1978 |
| Age | 48 years old (as of 2026) |
| Mother | Iman |
| Father | Spencer Haywood |
| Stepfather | David Bowie |
| Maternal Half-Sister | Alexandria “Lexi” Zahra Jones |
| Stepbrother | Duncan Jones |
| Education | Michigan State University |
| Career Field | Business and beauty industry |
| Known Employer | Iman Cosmetics |
| Bariatric Procedure | Roux-en-Y gastric bypass |
| Notable Essay | “Imagine You Are the Daughter of a Supermodel” (Glamour, 2010) |
| Child | Lavinia |
Who Is Zulekha Haywood? Early Life and Famous Lineage
Zulekha Haywood is the only daughter of Iman and Spencer Haywood. Her mother became one of the world’s most recognizable models and later built a successful beauty business. Her father was an Olympic gold medalist and NBA star who later entered the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Fame surrounded Zulekha from childhood, but it did not define the career she eventually chose. Iman has recalled taking her oldest daughter along on work trips when Zulekha was young. Once school began, those trips became less frequent.
As an adult, Zulekha stayed away from modeling and professional sports. Business became her field instead.
Growing Up in the Spotlight: Her Parents’ Divorce and Custody Dispute
Iman and Spencer Haywood married in 1978, the year Zulekha was born. By 1987, their marriage had broken down and they were separated. Zulekha was still a child when their divorce and disagreements over her upbringing became public.
A custody dispute followed the separation, although public accounts differ on parts of the final arrangement. Contemporary reporting confirms that Zulekha’s upbringing became part of the dispute between her parents.
Iman later spoke about balancing motherhood with a demanding modeling career. She remembered traveling with Zulekha when she was small and described the pressures that came with working and raising a young child.
Inside Her Blended Family: Iman, David Bowie, Lexi Jones, and Duncan Jones
David Bowie was Zulekha’s stepfather, Alexandria “Lexi” Jones is her maternal half-sister, and filmmaker Duncan Jones became her stepbrother through Bowie’s marriage to Iman.
Iman married Bowie in 1992. Their daughter, Alexandria Zahra Jones, known as Lexi, was born in August 2000. Zulekha and Lexi share the same mother.
Duncan Jones is Bowie’s son from his earlier marriage. He and Zulekha are therefore step-siblings rather than biological half-siblings.
The marriage brought Zulekha into another internationally famous family, but she continued to live largely outside the entertainment spotlight. Bowie and Iman remained married until his death in January 2016.
Beyond the “Supermodel’s Daughter” Label: Her Glamour Essay on Body Image
Zulekha told her own story in a 2010 Glamour essay titled “Imagine You Are the Daughter of a Supermodel.” It is one of the most useful first-person sources about her childhood, body image, and health.
She wrote that dieting had been part of her life since she was about eight. Iman encouraged portion control and used the Italian word basta, meaning “enough,” when she thought her daughter was overeating.
Spencer took a different approach. The former athlete encouraged exercise and sports, something Zulekha humorously described as “Eat Like a Pig, Run Like a Horse.”
Being the daughter of a supermodel and an elite athlete affected the way she saw her own body. Her weight eventually reached about 330 pounds.
Still, Zulekha’s essay was not simply about becoming thinner. She wrote about enjoying life at a larger size and learning that appearance did not determine her worth.
Her view of Iman also became more understanding with age. Zulekha came to see that her mother’s attention to food and weight had been connected to concerns about her health.
Why She Chose Gastric Bypass Surgery: Health Struggles, Procedure, and Recovery
Zulekha underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery around age 28 after her weight reached about 330 pounds and began causing serious physical problems.
She described heel spurs, swollen knees, osteoarthritis, and high blood pressure. Even getting out of bed had become painful.
After years of trying different diets, she met with a bariatric surgeon. Counseling and visits with a nutritionist were also part of her preparation.
The operation was not an easy fix. Zulekha experienced complications soon afterward, required intensive care, and underwent a second operation. She spent about a week in the hospital.
About a month after surgery, she had lost roughly 20 pounds. Over the following months, her weight continued to fall.
Around one year later, she reported weighing about 160 pounds. By 18 months after surgery, her weight had settled at roughly 165 pounds.
The biggest change was not simply the number on the scale. Zulekha wrote about improved mobility, different eating habits, and learning how to adjust to a body that had changed quickly.
Building a Career Outside the Spotlight: Michigan State, Iman Cosmetics, and Business
Zulekha chose business rather than modeling or professional sports. She attended Michigan State University before building a career on the business side of the beauty industry.
Her professional background includes work at Iman Cosmetics, where she has been associated with accounting, revenue and demand planning, and other business functions.
Rather than making her career part of a celebrity profile, Zulekha has generally kept her professional life separate from entertainment coverage.
Her exact current position is not widely documented, while most public information about her career focuses on business and the beauty industry.
Personal Life Today: Motherhood, Relationships, and Privacy
Zulekha is a mother to a daughter named Lavinia. Spencer Haywood has publicly celebrated his daughter and granddaughter, providing occasional glimpses of this part of the family.
Zulekha herself shares far less publicly. Unlike her famous parents, she rarely appears in entertainment coverage or gives interviews about her personal life.
Some online biographies identify Jason Young as her husband and report a 2016 marriage. Reliable recent information confirming her current relationship status is limited, so those details should not be treated as firmly established.
Her public record is centered mainly on her business career, family connections, and her first-person writing about health and body image.
FAQs
Who is Zulekha Haywood?
Iman and Spencer Haywood’s daughter — Zulekha Haywood grew up around fashion and professional basketball but followed her own path into business rather than modeling or sports.
Who are Zulekha Haywood’s parents?
Iman and Spencer Haywood — her mother is a famous model and beauty entrepreneur, while her father is an Olympic gold medalist and former NBA star who entered the Basketball Hall of Fame.
How is Zulekha Haywood related to David Bowie?
David Bowie was her stepfather — he married Zulekha’s mother, Iman, in 1992. Their daughter Lexi Jones is Zulekha’s maternal half-sister, while Bowie’s son Duncan Jones is her stepbrother.
What did Zulekha Haywood say about her weight in Glamour?
She wrote about reaching about 330 pounds — but her essay covered much more than weight loss. Zulekha discussed childhood dieting, health, body image, and learning not to measure her personal worth by her size.
What type of weight-loss surgery did Zulekha Haywood have?
Roux-en-Y gastric bypass — she underwent the procedure after her weight and related health problems began making everyday movement painful. Her recovery included complications, intensive care, and a second operation.
How much weight did Zulekha Haywood lose?
About half her starting weight — Zulekha wrote that she weighed around 330 pounds before surgery. About a year later, she reported reaching roughly 160 pounds, with her weight later settling near 165 pounds.
What does Zulekha Haywood do for a living?
She built a career in business — her publicly reported professional background includes work at Iman Cosmetics in business-related functions such as accounting and planning. Her exact current position is not widely documented.
Does Zulekha Haywood have a daughter?
Yes — her daughter is Lavinia. Spencer Haywood has publicly acknowledged his granddaughter, while Zulekha keeps most details about her family life away from the spotlight.
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