Daphne Selfe, an 89-year-old supermodel, looks incredibly elegant as she glides onto the stage at a fashion event in Edinburgh. She is tall and slender, with a mane of silver-gray hair perfectly styled, wearing a red velvet jacket with a long leopard-print skirt. Selfe is at the event to speak about diversity in fashion, and her eyes sparkle when asked whether she thinks people use her merely as a symbol of political correctness.
“Not at all,” she replies. “I’ve been modeling since the 1960s and I’m professional. Photographers say I have more energy than any other model they’ve worked with. I do yoga every day and can still do almost everything a younger model can. I’m proud that I’m still working, and that older models today have more opportunities than before.”
Selfe is represented by the renowned modeling agency Models One, which has signed many classic models over 50 in Europe. Manager Uwe Herzstein explains that clients increasingly prefer older models who are authentic and experienced. “Our older models are more popular than ever,” he says. “Many have been in the industry for decades and carry enormous prestige.”
Models One also represents the legendary 72-year-old model Jan De Villeneuve, who began modeling in 1966 and still regularly walks major shows such as London Fashion Week. “I prefer modeling now that I’m older,” says De Villeneuve. “It suits my spirit better. I look like myself, and people accept that.”
Although the fashion world is making progress, challenges with age discrimination remain. Jacynth Bassett, founder of the website The Bias Cut, emphasizes: “We work with non-professional older models to show real diversity – different body types, ethnicities, and ages. The fashion industry still needs to do more to represent all kinds of age.”
Daphne Selfe remains a shining example that experience and character in modeling are just as important as youth. She shows that classic models, represented by leading agencies, continue to inspire and change the fashion industry.
