My September Issue

Each September the fashion bibles deliver their largest issues of the year. The pages are full of fabulous fall fashions and sensational new advertising campaigns. Historically the models in the editorial pages and ad campaigns are teenagers or in their early 20's.

And I have an issue with that.

It was in 1996 when Isabella Rossellini was fired from Lancome 6 days after her 40th birthday!! She was told,  "Be grateful Isabella. You're lucky you lasted so long in the business."
Conversely, remember when 44 year old Lauren Hutton returned to modeling 25 years ago for Steven Meisel's stunning Barneys ads. At that time an ad campaign featuring a 44 year old woman just wasn't done. Hence Ms. Rossellini's untimely departure seven years later.

My friends, things are changing.

Paging through several September fashion magazines I noticed advertising featuring models and actressess in their 40"s:  Eva Herzigova (Target), Kate Moss (David Yurman), Claudia Schiffer (Dolce and Gabbana).  Charlotte Gainsbourg (Louis Vuitton), Winona Ryder (Rag and Bone), Nicole Kidman (Omega), Carla Bruni (Bulgari). There are also ads with 53 year old Tilda Swinton and 61 year old Isabelle Huppert (Givenchy).

There were many cosmetic campaigns with women 40 and over:  40 year old Carolyn Murphy (Estee Lauder), 40 year old Penelope Cruz  (Lancome), 42 year old Sophia Vergara (Cover Girl), 53 year old Julianne Moore (L'Oreal), 65 year old Jessica Lange (Marc Jacobs), and 68 year old Charlotte Rampling (Nars).  Incredible.

Linda Evangelista (49) looks fabulous on the cover of Harper's Bazaar. Also, in the September Bazaar is an insert called Icons, styled by Carine Roitfeld. It's worth mentioning that out of the 19 "Icons", 11 are 40 and over. It opens with Cindy Crawford (48)  and closes with, the truly iconic, Lauren Hutton (70)

This is all fantastic.

Have they had "work" done? Maybe. Are they air-brushed? Of course they are. Even Ms. Rampling's famously seductive eyes look a tad more awake than usual. We all know this is de rigueur with everyone of all ages in the magazines. I'm just so delighted to see women over 40, and 50, and 60 in these magazines. Aren't you??

Maybe the editors will notice that age "sells" and put some older models in the editorial pages. Emmanuelle Alt, the Editor-in-Chief of French Vogue, had this to say recently, "I don't want to show any woman too skinny or young in the magazine. It's depressing to see only kids all the time. It's important to show real women of a certain age."

 I agree.

That's an issue I'll buy.