P.S.-Pooh Says...

"What day is it? - 'It's today' - squeaked Piglet. 'My favourite day' - said Pooh."- A.A. Milne

20 October 2012

Great Style Has No Age-Carmen Dell'Orefice


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 “I think America may be growing up and accepting the fact that the bulk of life exists beyond 50. Because demographically ... the vast population is over 50,” she said. “This is not to negate the young people coming up. But what kind of an example are we giving young people?” Carmen Dell'Orefice 


Carmen Dell’ Orefice via




It has been said that growing old is not for the sissies-tell that to Carmen Dell'Orefice.  She has been "showing up for the job" since the mid 1940s when at the age of 15  she graced the cover of Vogue for the first time.  Carmen Dell'Orefice I think is more beautiful today than ever, and she is, at the gracious age of 81,  still a working model, seen in numerous advertising campaigns and this fall on the runway at NYFW in two shows for Norisol Ferrari and Marimeko. 


Norisol Ferrari collection via
 With her legendary chiseled cheekbones and shock of room brightening white/silver hair, Carmen owns any space she walks through. She put the Super in Super Model. 

“Carmen is a born image maker and an expert editor of herself... In an industry built on hype, hyperbole and the lure of passing fad Carmen’s astonishing 66 year career is testament not only to her beauty, but to her wit, wisdom, professionalism and unshakable resolve.” David Downton

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Her extraordinary image has been captured by every legendary photographer.  Her first  first shoot for Vogue was with Clifford Coffin, Cecil Beaton, Richard Avedon who photographed one of my favorite images ever!

"Like every other model in the world, I longed to work with Avedon...
finally he noticed me"


"For me things picked up again in the early 1980s when I was 49. I hadn't been working very much just modelling flannel nightgowns for Macy's and such, 
and one day Norman Parkinson showed up. He said, "You know, for an old bag, you don't look so bad. How about some pictures in Paris." 
Those pictures were in French Vogue and they were wonderful.'"  

Irving Penn  photographed her as Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood and Snow White, Erwin Blumenfeld declared her a great actress and Horst P Horst said hers was an ‘antique beauty of another age"-perhaps this explains her amazing staying power and why it can easily be argued that her "look" is the THE look of timeless style.


At The Heart Truth Runway 2005 via
Above all else Carmen is an inspiration-and not to aspiring models necessarily, but to anyone who feels that the passage of time has left them on the sidelines. 


by Tim Petersen via
  Aging in our culture is not looked upon with any spec of glamour let alone style-designers do not design for women in their 80s and the fashion press seems to stop their attention at age 49 at best.  Yet there she is and when Carmen walked the runway this Fall in new York the fashion world had to pay attention-how could you not!

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"I projected a strong personality for a grey-haired ageing population -
 I gave them the permission to be themselves."   

When asked recently if she had any "work" done she easily replied “If your ceiling was falling down, wouldn’t you fix it?”

In an industry that celebrates and very often exploits youth Carmen stands apart, as she always has... to watch Carmen still working at 81 means maybe the fashion world finally gets it--women don't stop living at 17-real beauty has no age, and neither does Carmen Dell'Orefice

 “I may be the last link to a golden age and 
I’m going out with my high heels on…” – Carmen Dell’Orefice.

Carmen Dell’Orefice by Giuliano Bekor via