Aging can be fashionable, and oftentimes fashion runways forget this.
Modeling as a career can be known for its brevity. Trends change, faces change and different body types fade in and out of style. As Vogue writer Janelle Okwodu said, “Most models who enter the industry and experience some degree of success can expect their career highs to last anywhere from a few seasons to—at best—a few years.”
Because of this, the average age of a runway model is only 21, as some brands consistently opt for younger faces to sell their collections. Why is there such a lack of age diversity despite the industry’s social push toward inclusivity and authenticity?
The main underlying factor is that the fashion industry aims to be aspirational. For many, youth is equated to beauty, and brands exploit this vulnerability.
Some brands have consistently been against this inherent ageism. Anti-establishment brands such as Yohji Yamamoto and Junya Watanabe have cast older models for years, and other brands are increasingly vocal about the importance of age-diverse shows.
“It’s important for a modern brand to have age diversity; it makes it more authentic,” said Demna Gvasal, creative director of Balenciaga. “When we walk down the street, we don’t necessarily see people all of the same age in groups.”
Some other brands that have consistently or more recently featured more age diversity in their runway shows are Sunnei, Balmain, Valentino, Prada, Phoebe English, the Row and Miu Miu.
Not only is a shift in age more realistic and inspiring, but it also resonates more genuinely with a brand’s real-life customers.
According to Vogue, the average age of a luxury customer is 38, so it makes sense to use older models to make a brand seem more relevant to its target market, especially when this audience has a significant amount of spending power.
Similarly, brands have also been casting older stars and runway icons, such as Naomi Campbell and Monica Bellucci, who helped them define their look in the past to add an element of nostalgia.
Casting older stars can also add an element of surprise, such as Willem Dafoe and Hilary Swank for Miu Miu or Ian McKellan for S.S Daley.
Still, the number of designers showcasing a diverse age group is a minority and older models are still “changing paradigms and setting trends.”
Contrary to the views of mainstream media, aging is graceful and can be powerful when showcased on the runway. Hopefully, the future is full of age-diverse shows and older-than-average models.
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Hi! I’m Kayla Friedman, A Magazine’s editor-in-chief. My staff and I are committed to bringing you the most important and entertaining news from the realms of fashion, beauty and culture. We are full-time students and hard-working journalists. While we get support from the student media fee and earned revenue such as advertising, both of those continue to decline. Your generous gift of any amount will help enhance our student experience as we grow into working professionals. Please go here to donate to A Magazine.
