The older model.

There are a few model agencies that have older models on their books, a very minor segment of a market that lives off young flesh. 

Ugly is one of the first agencies to take on "unconventional" models. Started in 1969, it is now the established agency to call for "character" looks, from taller to smaller to extreme body types, head to toe tattoos, thugs or twins. But beyond the "freak" show, cataloged in the "Specials" section,  they represent more mainstream types that are normally ignored by agencies,  including older fashion models as well as black and Asian models. Marc French who founded the agency in 1969 by putting an ad in the paper, has never had to advertise since. He very kindly answered my questions and his passion for his agency and his affection for his models was clear in our telephone conversation. His models are hand-picked and create their own look; refreshingly, he insists that he never tells a model to loose or gain weight or change her/his appearance in any way: "models who are comfortable with themselves make good models."

He observes that advertisers are becoming more daring and notices a general feeling of boredom towards "perfect" looks and an increasing appetite for weathered faces and distinguished looks. Ugly covers a great variety of fields from advertising to fashion, TV, film or theatre or editorial.  Ugly even had its own TV show: "Britain's Ugliest Models". His older models have featured in a whole range of publications from Harpers and Queen to the Italian Vogue... You might recognise Jenni Rhodes, shown below, from the Samsung ad and an Observer photo shoot published on those pages.

 

Asked which of his older models could be considered a star, he diplomatically insisted that he is keen to get work for all of them. However, he could not resist a gentle dig at Dafne Selfe who has deserted Ugly to join Model 1 and, according to him, is getting less advertising work than when he represented her.

Model1 is another good place to look for older models. Its Classic Women division specialises in that sector, representing celebrities such as Joanna Lumley or Joeley Richardson but also models such as Twiggy or Marie Helvin.  Elaine who runs Model One declined to answer my questions: as Model 1 run their own blog, she says that they are not interested in contributing to this one. Select Model Management, UK's number 1 model agency,according to their blurb, does not represent any older models.  Storm has a sprinkling of models over the age of 25 but you have to look very hard for them.


However, there is a new entrant in the older model market called Gray Model Agency. Created by Alex Myers and Dona Evans, the agency aims to redefine the modern mature woman and promote an age group that should be represented in its own right. Recruiting women over 50 with previous modeling experience, Gray can draw on Alex Myers' background in picture editing, graphic design and illustration and on Dona Evan's extensive modeling experience. Pictures of models from Gray Models:

Debbie Condon

Joanna Wooley

Alex worked as assistant curator to Charles Saatchi, then in publishing. She put together Phaidon's Fashion Today's enormous iconographic contribution and worked for most major newspapers. Dona was one of the original "flake models", featuring in a slightly risque ad for the famous Cadbury flake in the Sixties. Let's shed a tear and remember happier days at Cadbury's with the ad featured on you-tube:


To know more about Gray Models:
http://www.graymodelagency.com/
To know more about Ugly:
http://www.ugly.org/
To know more about Britain's Ugliest Models:
Britain's Ugliest Models