New winds are now blowing on the catwalks of luxury brands, as the industry’s traditional ideal of beauty has begun to break down.
Chanel fashion show. All Over Press
Aging women are now more visible in fashion than before, says a US magazine The New York Times (NOW).
According to the magazine, the phenomenon is told, for example, by the recent cover of the fashion magazine Vogue, which featured two 76-year-old women: the actress Meryl Streep and longtime editor-in-chief of Vogue Anna Wintour.
Although the cover was based on The Devil Wears Prada 2, it was still unprecedented. Wintour also stated in the magazine that she considers age an advantage these days.
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However, the real change can be seen on the stages of fashion shows. According to the NYT, top brands have begun hiring more and more models with visible signs of aging, such as gray hair and wrinkles.
Almost every top brand included at least one older model in their latest show. For example, 15 models over the age of 40 walked on Chanel’s stage, and Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga also relied on experienced faces.
Balenciaga show. All Over Press
The background of the phenomenon is strongly influenced by money. According to statistics from the US Federal Reserve, people over 55 own more than 70 percent of the country’s wealth, and their share of consumption is more than 45 percent.
When the growth of the luxury market has slowed down, fashion houses can no longer afford to ignore this customer base with purchasing power, even though the fashion industry has traditionally been known for idealizing youth.
The background may also be a backlash to the beauty ideal, where every wrinkle and sign of aging is smoothed out with aesthetic procedures. Naturalness and authenticity have become a new luxury.
Top model Cindy Crawford at the Gucci show. All Over Press
On the other hand, NYT highlights practical reasons. Using models of different ages is much easier for fashion houses than expanding the size range.
Hiring older models does not require clothing brands to make structural changes to the zoning or production of clothing, unlike using plus-size models.
In this way, fashion houses can communicate diversity without questioning the industry’s traditions, the slim beauty ideal.
