Casting senior citizen models to walk the runway is indeed becoming a trend. Anne Demeulemeester is the third designer, after Etro and Yohji Yamamoto to have used elders to model her collection.
The Spring 2009 Collection of the Belgian designer highlighted the art of aging gracefully. The show started with young, angst-smeared models wearing dark-coloured clothes strutting the garden of Université Pierre et Marie Curie. After a few moments of seeing young, rigid bodies, models that looked like they could have been grandparents, wearing Demeulemeester's light-coloured ensembles, appeared on the catwalk.
Through her latest collection, Ann Demeulemeester has been successful in painting the picture of the embracement of growing old and not to the battle against it it (and to purchase her clothes too!).
Check out more seniors on the runway:
Seniors on the Catwalk (Again)
Ann Demeulemeester Spring 2009
Trend Themes
1. Senior Models on the Runway - The trend of using senior models on the runway is growing, creating a new opportunity for fashion designers to showcase their clothing on a more diverse range of models.
2. Age-inclusive Advertising - Brands can embrace the idea of aging gracefully and target a wider demographic by featuring senior models in their advertising campaigns.
3. Shift in Beauty Standards - The use of senior models in fashion is challenging the traditional beauty standards and opening the door for more age diversity in various industries.
Industry Implications
1. Fashion Industry - Fashion designers can capitalize on the trend of using senior models on the runway to showcase their clothing on a more diverse range of models.
2. Beauty Industry - The shift in beauty standards created by the use of senior models in the fashion industry can be capitalized on by the beauty industry as well, by featuring more age diversity in their advertising campaigns.
3. Marketing and Advertising Industry - The growing use of senior models in fashion is creating new opportunities for the marketing and advertising industry to promote age diversity and inclusivity in their campaigns.