Naomi Campbell shades Anna Wintour at Harlem's Fashion Row Awards

Supermodel Naomi Campbell playfully acknowledged her tendency to be fashionably late while accepting the Fashion Icon Award at Harlem's Fashion Row's Fashion Show and Style Awards on Tuesday night. During her acceptance speech, Campbell threw some lighthearted shade at Vogue's top editor, Anna Wintour, who had earlier poked fun at Campbell's punctuality during her introduction.

In her signature unapologetic style, Campbell addressed the audience saying, "Yes, Naomi's always late... but I believe in my high power, and I want to thank my higher power for having me be here." The comment drew laughter from the crowd and set a playful tone for the rest of her speech.

Campbell also made a slightly unexpected detour when she referred to Wintour as "the other lady" while expressing her gratitude for being honored in Harlem. "It wasn't my choice to have the other lady. I'd much rather have this," she said, gesturing to fellow honoree Samira Nasr, Harper's Bazaar editor-in-chief, who had also introduced her.

Earlier in the evening, Wintour had playfully teased Campbell about her timekeeping habits, stating, "I am a very punctual person, and I have the honor of presenting tonight to someone who is often late." Despite the lighthearted jab, Wintour also praised Campbell's fearlessness and honesty, calling her "a muse and inspiration for designers."

Campbell, in turn, acknowledged Wintour's support throughout her career, thanking her for "taking a chance" on her as a young Black model from South London and for her "continuing support in pushing fashion forward."

The Harlem's Fashion Row event, which served as an unofficial kickoff to New York Fashion Week, also saw Campbell pay tribute to Black models who paved the way for her success, including Iman, Bethann Hardison, and Naomi Sims. She dedicated her award to them, her mother, and her daughter, emphasizing that it was "a call to action" for further progress in the fashion industry.