ral response
manyshow-goershadfollowingtheAW19-20season. The posts
about it all over social media offered a surprisingly glowing
review from a notoriously tough crowd. The change? Age.
Models both new and established, old and young, walked for
major shows, making it a season of increasingly inclusive casting.
Ugbad Abdi (age 18) opened for Marc Jacobs, while Christy
Turlington (50) closed. At Burberry, Stella Tennant (48) appeared
alongside Anok Yai (21). And we saw more models over the
age of 60 than ever before, including Christie Brinkley (65),
Pat Cleveland (69) and Patti Hansen (63). Which begs the
question: can you really put an age on style?
Conversations about inclusivity and diversity in fashion have
been going on for a while. In fact, “Our biases are cultural, not
industry-specific,” says Robin Givhan, fashion critic for The
Washington Post. The focus has primarily been on race, gender
and body type (which have the most visibility on the catwalk). But,
as more older women occupy positions of power (Angela
Merkel in politics, Ita Buttrose in media, and Oprah Winfrey,Jane Fonda and Celine Dion in entertainment), it seems that
fashion is finally having its coming-of-age moment.
AW19-20 saw a jump in older models – with over-50s up
33 per cent from SS19, according to The Fashion Spot’s Diversity
Report. Simone Rocha included Chloë Sevigny (44) and veteran
models Marie-Sophie Wilson-Carr and Jeny Howorth (both 55),
with the collection inspired by artist Louise Bourgeois – a woman
who, Rocha says, “was beautiful at all ages”. In Paris, five of
Balenciaga’s 56 models were over 50, with designer Demna
Gvasalia telling ELLE, “When I go on the street in Paris now, this is
what I see.” And in New York, where brands really championed
inclusivity, Christina Kruse (40) and Turlington appeared in
feathered beanies and dresses at Marc Jacobs, Patti Hansen
wore a metallic gold tux at Michael Kors Collection and Pat
Cleveland sported a billowing red-hot ensemble at Hellessy.
Meanwhile, Donatella Versace has been creating “moments”
with ’90s supermodels since SS18, with Cindy Crawford (53),
Carla Bruni (51) and Naomi Campbell (49) in her shows. (Not
that their ages are important. Which is the point.) Locally, we saw50
Simone RochaSimone RochaMarc Jacobs“BEST.ST CASTINGCASTING. EVER.EVER”” TThat was the geneh hBalenciaga
BalenciagaFASHION
COMES
OF AGE
AS OLDER FACES ( AND
BODIES) FILLED AW19-20’S
CATWALKS, ELLE ASKS:
HAS FASHION CHANGED
OR IS IT SIMPLY A NE W
IDENTITY MOMENT?Rachel Comey