Over Forty & Fabulous

 

The career of a fashion model conjures up a cross section of ideas, while some think; glamour, travel and impossibly high-heels, others imagine; exploitation, eating disorders and self obsession. Whatever the viewpoint, many universally agree that the world of fashion modelling is short lived, and while a handful continue to work beyond their thirties the majority will be saying goodbye to the catwalk by the time they hit twenty-five.

 

Thankfully it’s a notion that is slowly changing. Advertisers are waking up to the spending power of women post 40 and this year magazines are due to feature more in the way of mature faces. OK, so many of them are rather well-known and glamorous, but at least it’s more positive than an anti-wrinkle cream being advertised by a seventeen-year-old.

 

 

So who’s appearing in what?

 

 

Well, Sharon Stone is due to flaunt her face in a series of international print ads for a new cream by Christian Dior. The cream, called ‘Capture Totale’, is the latest Dior product dedicated to mature {mosimage}skin and as a 47-year-old beauty Stone was the first choice for the job. In fashion expect to see Kim Basinger, 52, posing for the Spring/Summer Miu Miu campaign. Miuccia Prada, the creative force behind Miu Miu, commented that ‘she never thought of Basinger in terms of age, but rather a woman that is sensual, intellectually engaging, elegant and strong.’ Meanwhile, super model Linda Evangelista, 40, can be found doing her thing in the new seasons print ads for German label Escada.

 

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Last year Donatella Versace set the trend for fabulous faces over forty by casting Madonna and then Demi Moore in her advertising campaigns. This season she has gone for Oscar winning actress Halle Berry. Coming in at the age of 39, Berry is indeed the baby of the bunch.

 

 

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The shift not only affects the ultra-famous, modelling agencies, particularly in New York and London are reporting a 30 – 40 per cent increase in demand for older models. New York based model agency ‘Wilhelmina’ noted the demand and set up ‘W Sophisticated’ – a division within the agency that represents models beyond the age of 30. For the past five years Wilhelmina has also been involved with an annual 40+ Model Search in conjunction with More magazine.

 

 

So why this sudden change in attitude?

 

 

Of course it’s all about the big bucks and the new free-spending boomer generation is impossible to ignore. Taking up a huge portion of the spending pie the so called ‘mature women’ actually have more funds to spend on themselves than their younger counterparts. Plus there are now more over 40-year-olds than there are teenagers. Twin this with a healthier, image conscious lifestyle and the picture for advertisers becomes all too clear. Market research shows that women respond to role models of their own generation and as they get older these role models need to represent more than just surface beauty.

 

 

By JoJo Iles