Q – Why is Naomi Campbell still getting to walk in fashion shows? She’s old enough to be the mother of the other models. Shouldn’t she have retired a decade ago? Even 35 is too old to still be out there runway modeling. And most of the top models retired by the time they were 35.
Re: Isn’t Naomi Campbell too old to be runway modeling?
A – Naomi Campbell is still getting to walk in fashion shows because she’s Naomi Campbell. She’s the queen of the catwalk. And designers she’s worked with over the years choose to give her the honor to walk in their shows.
If you’re not familiar with Naomi’s career you should check out some of the video compilations out there. You’ll soon realize that she has a presence that’s got nothing to do with age. She’ll probably still have that presence when she’s 70 years old, and who knows, maybe we’ll see her sashay down a runway for old times sake when she’s 70.
Women like Naomi Campbell pave the way for the younger generation. Those girls you say she’s old enough to be the mother of will probably not have to retire by the time they’re 35 thanks to Naomi and other older models who are still out there showing the world that age is a state of mind.
Once upon a time 40 was considered ancient. These days women are realizing they can still have thriving lives in their 60s, 70s and even 80s and 90s (think Christie Brinkley who is 62, Jane Fonda who is 77, Joan Collins who is 82 and Betty White who is 93). And because of these women–because they keep doing their thing and because they refuse to be influenced by the kind of attitudes that would compel someone to ask if it isn’t time they disappeared off the face of earth due to their age, you will probably have opportunities in your 40s, 50s and beyond that were not available to previous generations of women over 40.
So get on board with the program to defeat ageism. Because, while negative ageist attitudes might not apply to you now, they will certainly apply later.
