When you think of models, you may think of young people who fit modern conventional beauty standards. Right? But would you believe what I’m going to tell you now? Actually, models could be of senior age too. Surprised! I know you are, but it’s true.
Because, Igor Gavar, founder of Oldushka, does not feel this way and is very proud that they exclusively show models over 45. Apart from the one model who is 45 (who was signed because he is a lot older than he looks), the youngest model is 60. Woah! I’m so excited to tell you about this. So, I’ll tell you all in detail.
Based in Moscow, it all started in 2011 with his blog of the same name. He used to photograph the street style of older people for his blog. Having met some exciting faces in 2016, he started the modeling agency as a passion project.
Russia and other countries that used to make up the soviet union are still highly ageist. So, seeing such initiatives in these types of societies is enjoyable. And I feel it’s good for society in many ways. I mean these aged models will also help break stereotypes and instill confidence in older people. It will also help with the fear of aging, which is very common in young people today. He instilled confidence in many of the people he photographed, so he decided to start his project.
Are you wondering about its name-Oldushka? Let me tell you that the name combines the word “old”, taken from English, and a common Russian suffix, “-ushka”, which is like a term of endearment.
The founder, Igor Gavar, used to be a photographer who photographed the street style of older individuals. He met some exciting faces and wanted to do something more. Thus, Oldushka was born as a passion project. Gavar aims to break ageist stereotypes. As many “imperfections,” such as stretch marks, are currently being embraced as beautiful on the runways, he believes grey hair is beautiful, too. Sounds interesting!
Who feels old here when hearts are still young?
Pragya, USA Tales
It is not every day that you see older adults who look their age, so it is refreshing to see the models of Oldushka. They do not shy away from showing their wrinkles or flaunting their grey hair. They can show the world there is nothing wrong with looking old, and surgeries are unnecessary to look beautiful if that is not what you want to do. They show the world that you can embrace everything that comes with old age and still be confident and beautiful.
Still, like most types of change, this one was not very well received and attracted criticism. However, their work was noticed by top brands from Russia and abroad, such as Gucci, Sony, Glamour, and more. These models even received invitations to be a part of different projects and even won an award at a beauty contest.
You will be surprised to know that the models of Oldushka were not models previously. They never thought about getting into this line of work. Now, the models they recruit are based on charisma, adventurous spirit, and inner beauty. As the agency aims to break aging stereotypes, it prioritizes showcasing wrinkles or grey hair, which may generally be looked down upon.
There could be people who think older adults like these models are the perfect people to sell their products to or have them in commercials to promote them. So, their contract states that they must not engage with anti-aging products nor be allowed to endorse or promote anything similar. Clients who wish to hire their models are required not to use Photoshop or hide their wrinkles and grey hair.
It’s Like- From Breaking Stereotypes to Becoming Trendsetters!
Some good news for the representation of older adults comes in the form of an astonishing runway show! For the New York Fashion Week in February of 2024, Batsheva only cast women over 40 for their show! And the reactions were pleasantly surprising! The grey hair, mainly made to stand out on the runway elicited positive responses from the audience.
Batsheva Hay wanted the runway to represent something closer to her life and personality. Hence the choice to display models of older age than usual. This is why it did not seem like “forced diversity.” She did not do this to sell clothes or promote her brand per se. It felt very natural and made an emotional impact on the viewers.
In the age of TikTok filters, skincare routines, and plastic surgery, the runway show made the women look fabulous, fashionable, and something to aspire to. Although it failed to showcase models of different body types, and some other features which are considered “imperfections.” This is a huge step forward in terms of representation and inclusivity.
Inspired with Oldushka, now, in particular fashion shows, older models are also making a comeback! However, these shows do have other old models who were not models previously. They do not have two or three old models as token diversity representation, but the entire show consisted of these models! These were also not women in their 60s and 70s; there were even middle-aged models.
Iconic model Beverly Johnson also returned to the runway in 2022! The then 69-year-old, when asked what made her decide to return, stated that she returned as she was asked to. One of the original supermodels, she had walked runways worldwide. She then walked the runway again in 2022 for the New York Fashion Week. Back in 1974, as a 22-year-old, she appeared on the cover of Vogue in America. She was the first black model on the magazine’s cover. She continued to appear in multiple magazines in the coming years.
In the age of the internet and perfection, we mainly see young, conventionally attractive people, and older adults who are made to look younger. So, people must prioritise showcasing aging as nothing undesirable, and help with the fear of aging that many young
people have. I must say it’s definitely a step towards positivity in everyone’s life.
Last Updated on by Pragya Chakrapani
