New Era For Mature Models

The professional life expectancy of a top model was never good. When asked about the prospects of a group of twentysomethings, Cathy Gould, the director of Elite Model Management, said: "They are too old to succeed in a field where much of the talent is recruited out of school."

However, a big change is under way in this most image-obsessed of businesses. While waif-like youngsters were once the order of the day, it is now glamorous women in their forties and fifties who are the new stars of the industry - taking the plum contracts and fronting international campaigns for major fashion houses and cosmetics companies.

Demand for mature women is such that leading modelling agencies on both sides of the Atlantic revealed to The Independent on Sunday that they are struggling to cope with the number of bookings.

Mature models are models that are older than typical models. Age is not the key factor, but rather appearance. A mature face, with a great smile and bright eyes is still quite a marketable commodity. However the standard is that mature models are over their 30s.

Becoming more than just a trend, many mature male and female models are becoming permanent fixtures on the catwalks of many prestigious fashion designers of today. The women or men who interested in fashion modeling you can register here.

With those days long gone these women are far from becoming has-been, strutting their stuff on the catwalk well into there fifties. These women are not booked because of their age but because of their look.

Unlike youngsters, most people in their middle to senior years of life approach modeling with a little modest anxiety wondering if they really do have what it takes to be a mature model community. Male models have always worked well past there 20s into there 50s. Often just getting started in modeling in their late teens, age barriers have never kept males limited.

It is a trend that has taken many in the modelling industry by surprise. At London-based Models 1, one of Europe's leading agencies, they have begun re-signing older models, who may have left the profession years earlier to have families or pursue alternative careers in the assumption that their modelling days were over.

Branding experts and marketing managers have seen the effect that resurgent older models such as Twiggy and Marie Helvin - who recently made her professional comeback at the age of 50 - can have on product sales, and are queuing up to replicate it. Last year, Dove soap became one of the first major brands to apply a radical new strategy, using 95-year-old Irene Sinclair as part of its "Campaign for Real Beauty".

One British model given a second lease of life by the phenomenon is Angie Hill, who signed her first, new, major beauty contract - with cosmetics giant Garnier- last year, at the age of 42. "When I was 24 I thought I was too old," said Ms Hill, who appeared on the cover of numerous magazines during the 1980s, including Cosmopolitan, Elle and Marie Claire.

"I had two children and realised I couldn't compete with 16-year-olds, so I quit and started working with my husband in fashion design."

Then last year, Ms Hill - who hails from south London but now lives in Los Angeles - was pushed firmly back into the spotlight by Garnier.

So don't be afraid if you think you're too old and give it a try (or ask your mums to do so! or even gradmas!)