This 51-year-old model made waves this past Paris Fashion Week when she closed Jean Paul Gaultier’s 2009 haute couture show. The brunette beauty became the first model to sign an exclusive contract (one with Chanel in 1980). While the supermodel poses less and less these days, opting instead to work on her clothing chain and as a consultant for Gaultier, she continues to help forge new model territory. De la Fressange stars alongside other celebrities and mannequins in a stunning new French Elle editorial featuring models without makeup and totally un-retouched.
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Seventy-seven-year-old Carmen Dell’Orefice first made her return to modeling in 1978 after a brief hiatus. Since then, the still-stunning model has continued to pose for ad campaigns, such as Isaac Mizrahi for Target, and to walk the runways, as she did this past London Fashion Week for QASIMI’s presentation, for various designers. The legend, who played muse to Salvador Dali and posed for fashion’s finest, from Irving Penn to Richard Avedon, recently lost her life savings in the Bernie Madoff scandal; hence the model’s appetite for additional income. According to the New York Post, AgencySacks has just hired the Dell’Orefice for an ad campaign for NYC’s Pierre Hotel.
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This former Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover girl (and wife of Billy Joel) made headlines in 2005 when she returned as Cover Girl’s model-of-choice 20 years after originally appearing in their ads. More recently, Brinkley returned as a face for the ‘Got Milk’ campaign, not to mention the new $2 million deal she signed to lend her pearly whites to Act Mouthwash.
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This blond legend may have made gap teeth sexy back in the 1970s, but her inimitable beauty continues to shine—she’ll star in an upcoming Badgley Mischka ad campaign. Not to mention back in 2005, at age 61, Hutton posed entirely nude for Big magazine, once and for all disproving any doubt that the seasoned icon has still got it.
Pat Cleveland, who in the 1980s played muse to Yves Saint Laurent, has popped up in magazine editorials somewhat consistently in the past few years. After walking the runway for Bill Blass’ Spring 2004 show, the pioneering supermodel’s most memorable spreads include posing for W magazine back in 2006, and just last summer for a Steven Meisel shoot featured in Italian Vogue’s "all black" issue.
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Fifty-six-year-old model Marie Helvin first appeared in the modeling world in her late teens (shortly before marrying legendary photographer David Bailey at age 19); she has since graced the cover of Vogue a total of seven times. After a significant absence from the industry, Helvin and her razor-sharp chiseled cheekbones have returned to modeling. She is currently the face of Marks & Spencer’s new Portfolio Collection.
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Somali model Iman is 53, but continues to give fashion’s freshest faces a run for their money. Mrs. David Bowie still stars on magazine covers (she graced Elle Canada’s cover in February of this year). The stunning, still-flawless model recently made a guest appearance on Project Runway Canada and continues to appear in Vogue.
Courtesy of Elle Canada
Actress and former fashion model Rene Russo has returned to her days as a poser for the spring season. The 55-year-old Russo stars in shoe designer Brian Atwood’s Spring 09 Look Book. The project calls to mind fellow mature model Jerry Hall’s recent work for Chanel, as Russo is likewise pictured in bed with a scantily clad male model less than half her age.
Courtesy of Brian Atwood via BPCM
At 53, model Jo Wood, the former wife of Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood, isn’t just a pretty face. The entrepreneur is also a published author and the founder of Jo Wood Organics. But, the mother of three’s modeling career is still going strong as well. She recently surfaced on Vivienne Westwood’s Red Label catwalk for the fellow Brit’s 09 show.
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Supermodel Jerry Hall, 52, (also known as Mick Jagger’s ex-better half) hasn’t only resurrected her career with regard to high fashion—she is the star of Chanel’s 2009 handbag ads alongside especially attractive twentysomething male model Baptiste Giabiconi. She's made a comeback in advertising as well, though for a less glamorous product: the blond bombshell is the global spokesperson for Levitra, a treatment for erectile dysfunction.
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Lesley Hornby, better known as Twiggy, became the first prominent teenage model and the face of the Mod generation in the ‘60s at age 16. Now, she is the face of London retailer Marks & Spencer (for whom she also designs a line), regularly appears in seasonal She commercials, and appeared as a judge on America’s Next Top Model (until being replaced by another mature stunner, Paulina Porizkova.)
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