A Silver Lining on the Runway

Have you noticed something different about the catwalks this past season? It’s as if the fashion world has gone through a renaissance — a rediscovery of a timeless facet of beauty: age.

Take Balmain’s recent showstopper at Paris Fashion Week. It wasn’t just a gorgeous nod to Olivier Rousteing’s Bordeaux roots — it was a celebration of experience and maturity. Showcasing models beyond the conventional ‘fresh-face’ age — like the radiant 70-year-old Axelle Doué — sashaying down the runway wasn’t just refreshing; it was riveting.

So, what’s behind this surge of seasonality in fashion? Let’s discuss.

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It could be society’s growing desire for inclusivity and diversity finally echoing through the halls of high fashion. The industry, long critiqued for its narrow standards, is turning a new leaf, showing off a beauty seasoned with life’s tales.

Could we also be craving a dash of reality on the runway? Older models aren’t just models; they’re strutting stories with an authenticity you can’t replicate. Unsurprisingly, designers like Batsheva are picking up on this, casting real people who reflect the lives and stories of those watching them.

And let’s not skirt around the business side of things. Who holds a hefty slice of the pie regarding luxury fashion spending? That’s right; the same folks are now getting spotlighted on the runway. Like Batsheva Hay said, after casting a bevy of experienced beauties, her sales saw a happy little jump. Coincidence? Definitely not.

On the pop culture front, we can’t ignore the binge-worthy effect. When a hit show like “Feud: Capote vs the Swans” features a cast decked out with fabulous over-40 stars, it’s bound to stir up some buzz. It’s a ripple effect; what we adore on our screens, we celebrate on our stages.

My take? The fatigue from endless TikTok nano trends is causing fatigue, and many crave a familiar albeit fabulous face. Give me Naomi over a random influencer any day. And though these women all look incredible, they don’t look plastic, overfilled, or fake. They look their ages in the best of ways.

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And let’s raise our Negronis to the models themselves — the amazing Amber Valletta; the fabulous Anh Duong, who walked for Helmut Lang sans makeup and noted that “true beauty starts at 40”; and the marvelous Marcia Cross, to name a few. They’re returning and bringing a message louder than any runway music: age shouldn’t dictate your spot under the spotlight. They show us that style doesn’t wrinkle and confidence grows bolder with time. But we already knew that, didn’t we?

So there you have it. The runway’s newfound wisdom combines a cultural shift, a thirst for genuine, smart business, screen influence, and a powerful dose of model empowerment. The fashion world has finally caught on to something the rest of us have known for a while: beauty doesn’t have an expiration date. And frankly, it’s about damn time.

Main image from Golden Age Models.

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