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Is Australian fashion finally embracing older women’s style?

IMAGE VIA @GINGERANDCARMAN/INSTAGRAM

WORDS BY BIANCA O’NEILL

Is the tide turning against ageism in fashion?

With the current widespread obsession over Emily in Paris’ Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu (the 58-year-old actress plays Sylvie in the Netflix hit), the return of Carrie from SATC (with the character now in her 50s), and the ongoing fandom of royals Meghan and Kate (now both in their 40s), it seems we are truly embracing style from older women in legitimate fashion circles.

So what is it that has suddenly made older women’s style so alluring to the fashion world?


For more fashion news, shoots, articles and features, head to our Fashion section.


As diversity has increasingly seeped into the industry – propelled by social media campaigns, consumer demands and widespread social change – it seemed for a while there that tackling fashion’s problem with ageism was left to the too-hard basket.

Runways delivered the occasional older model, as a nod to op-eds decrying the ongoing obsession with youth, but rarely were we graced with true age diversity represented in fashion media, fashion retail or marketing campaigns. Even ads for anti-ageing miracle creams were plagued with smiling 20-something faces, rather than the target demographic most likely to purchase such a product.

But lately, something has changed. Is it the pandemic, giving rise to our acceptance of our natural selves, as we’ve abandoned restrictive skinny jeans and contouring high-gloss makeup? Is it a realisation that true diversity must represent everyone, not just the young people pushing for the change?

 

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If there’s someone who can give us insight into the mechanisms behind fashion’s historical resistance towards older women, it would have to be the prolific Kellie Hush, former Editor-in-Chief at Harper’s Bazaar Australia and now Senior Advisor at the Australian Fashion Council, Director of marketing agency Entente, and board member at Melbourne Fashion Festival.

“If I had one criticism, that would be that fashion brands are still very focused on youth,” she tells me. “Putting a token mature model on a runway for a show does not tick the box. I still see campaigns with baby-faced models and as a woman in her 40s, who loves fashion and still spends a lot on fashion, those images are definitely not selling to me, or make me feel like I want to buy into a brand… or a new bag.

“There is still a long way to go. Too many fashion brands still market exclusively to under-30s, forgetting there is a massive consumer group with a lot of disposable income to spend on fashion. Is this a middle-aged male management thing? I think that is a question worth debating as well.”

 

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On the surface, the rampant ageism across the fashion industry doesn’t appear to make sense – particularly when you consider that a recent study showed ignoring older consumers could potentially cost the industry more than AUD$20 billion over the next 20 years in missed opportunities.

Dig a little deeper, however, and you’ll discover the complicated marketing forces at play here. Interestingly, the beauty industry is one of the most powerful driving forces in fashion. The industry spends millions on advertising in fashion media, and sponsorships at fashion weeks across the globe. At the centre of it all is female ageing, one of the biggest industries in the world, set to be worth a staggering AUD$125 billion by 2026.

So how do we advocate for the acceptance of age, when we’re bombarded by marketing messages positioning youth as the ultimate status symbol?

There are certainly women out there who are unapologetically breaking the mould, despite the tide of youth-focused messaging weighing against them – and they’re growing in popularity more than ever.

 

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Local style bloggers Ginger and Carman are gaining steam for their chic take on Melbourne’s fashion scene, while Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu dominated fashion news last week, appearing in a sheer dress at Paris Fashion Week.

“Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu is the perfect example of an incredibly chic and sexy mature woman,” says Hush. “My former colleague at Harper’s Bazaar Carine Roitfeld is also incredible. Every time we caught up in Milan or Paris, she turned the most heads in the room. Her style is effortless and she has been a muse for decades now to women of all ages.

“And it’s not just a French thing either. Model Carolyn Murphy is even more stunning in her 40s, and Paulina Porizkova is making huge waves on social media showing us all how good 56 looks.”

 

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So as we look toward a post-pandemic fashion future, where diversity is not a catchphrase, but rather, an expected norm, will age diversity stick? Or will we forget older women again, discarding them as just another trend we once thought was cool for a little while?

“It is definitely here to stay,” says Hush. “During my time as editor at Harper’s Bazaar was when the cultural shift started. It was slow to start, but it became incredibly important to my team that Bazaar represented diverse beauty, shapes and sizes. Age less so, and in retrospect, we should have done more to address ageism.”

“Since I left the media in 2018, there has been a greater shift across the industry, not just fashion media. I don’t see it as a trend now, I see it as the norm, and have great faith this is the only way forward for the industry.”

In a post-pandemic world where traditional retail is struggling but luxury goods – now tipped even more toward the older consumer as younger generations abandon them for niche brands – gain steam, it seems like a no brainer.

For more on ageism in the fashion industry, head here.

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