Designers have always received criticism when it comes to their image and representation; their ad campaigns usually feature under aged pin-thin “child like models” which never ceases to make worldwide news. However top designers have recently created a new controversy; Is 82 really the new 16??
Well it would appear so!
Famous luxury fashion house Lanvin shocked the public and the fashion world, when it unveiled its new face for its fall 2012 campaign, as no other than 82 year old grandmother Jacquie Tajah Murdock. The former Apollo dancer was recently offered her dream modelling career, making her one of the eldest models to be offered a first campaign ever! Dolce & Gabbana soon followed suit when they featured 83 year old Daphne Selfe in their campaign ads.
So where has this strange “thing” within the fashion world derived from? Are the “golden oldies” really making a comeback? It is believed that this shift has come about due to financial climates and demographics. According to the HBO documentary; About face, recent demographics are proving that over fifties appear to be the main buyers and as National statistics 2012 report shows, 80% of Britain’s wealth is held by over fifty year olds. Do Fifty years old really want to invest in a brand that is featured on a super skinny 18 year old? It would appear that with this in mind large fashion houses are trying to revive their sense of timelessness and heritage by targeting its most popular cliental with “real people” that they can relate to rather than professional models.
However this new “trend” is not only restricted to high class brands but has also filtered down into the high street reaching retailers such as American Apparel, who featured 61 year old model Jacky O’Shaughnessy as the face of their advance basics. The retail brand, known for their provocative ads, has shown the world that you do not necessarily have to be young to be youthful.
So accustomed to the fashion industry’s obsession with the stereotypical picture of youth and beauty, that has been created over the years, it is no surprise that this drastic switch of image is completely unexpected. Has “old” really become the new young? Or are fashion houses jumping from one extreme to the other in a feeble attempt to please the industry… Maybe they just wanted to shock us all. The real question is; how long will this new found beauty last and is it just another fashion “phase”?
