'The Potential Future of Modelling and Fashion?'
“I definitely think there could be a
healthier balance of designers opening to use older models”.
Tziporah Salamon is a one of a kind fashion-forward lady. Her
professional experience would not surprise anyone in the industry, for when you
take a glimpse upon her an instant realisation of the scale of her success surfaces
in the minds of many. Growing up with her parents, her dad’s livelihood as a
tailor and her mother a skilled dressmaker, aspects of fashion always
surrounded Tziporah, “clothes have always played a huge role in my life”, it’s
safe to say that she could only pursue one career in life. She has devised a
spectacular working profession, after studying a Masters degree at the
University of California Tziporah then continued on route to becoming an
assistant for antique clothing store Victoria Falls. She then went onto work as
a buying agent for a French company based in New York, to which she has now become
a dresser to herself and others. Tziporah could be considered as an artist, her
inimitable style values the art of dressing in a way that is rare for others to
grasp. Her attention to detail in colour, pattern and texture “never fails to
surprise, delight, intrigue and inspire”, this can be envisioned through her
video, “The Fabric of my Life” and her teaching course of “The Art of
Dressing”, where her goal has always been to inspire and make a difference. Tziporah
is a well-established professional, who demonstrations that she and other women
of her generation can prolong their career within the fashion and modelling
industry. She stated to Third Floor
to, “take care of yourself” and “to do what you love” are her reasons for her
lengthy career. She shares a gripping insight into her opinions on the age
issue and how long she thinks a models career can last for now.
Flicking
through many pages of editorial, we notice one generation that graces the
spreads of a publication. The young, fresh faced individuals of Cara Delevingne
and Alexa Chung, appear on most advertising campaigns now with the rare
appearance of an older generation. Tziporah voiced her opinions as to why she
thinks fashion brands do not use the older model in campaigns as often as the
younger model, “I think they are afraid, unfortunately there’s this stigma in
our society in the western world about getting older, god forbid if a women has
wrinkles”. She then went on to say how we have become “youth-obsessed” and
because fashion brands spend a lot of money of their advertising campaigns,
they can’t afford to take the risk of using a model that could potentially
jeopardise a brands image. Other than that, Tziporah states, how designers
“don’t like the change”. On the infrequent occurrence where the older
generation makes an appearance in a fashion campaign, a fusion of feelings come
to the minds of the spectator, Tziporah believes the industry needs contrast
and thinks, “its refreshing when you see a older model, its so different from
the rest”. Her recent casting for Lanvin’s
Fall 2012 ad campaign put forward a great response to the fashion audience,
titled “Real People” photographer Steven Meisel captured what was described by
blog “Tom + Lorenzo” as, “the human panorama” of real men and women aged
between 18 to 80. The portrait inspired fashion shoot wanted to portray “a
sense of reality to fashion to show that the lofty world of high
style is not as unattainable as it seems”, Creative Director of Lanvin Alber
Elbaz stated. He and Tziporah voiced the same opinion of how in today’s society
no one is allowed to age anymore and express their wrinkles and imperfections,
Tziporah acknowledged the importance for Alber Elbaz to “think outside
the box and take a risk”. The suggestion that the future is looking ever more
equal with no distinct direction, is fear provoking for the potential consumer.
On the basis
of expanding a models career, the many ways through the route of cosmetic
surgery or by the devious methods of Photoshop,
defeats the question of finding natural beauty and to continue a models career for
this natural beauty, rather than looking the false opposite. Tziporah avowed
her shock of young women, as well as older women using Botox in order to keep
the negligible hint of wrinkles away, “it’s part of the illusion we live in
today”. It now appears that consumers are being given a false hope of what they
could look like if they chose to, natural beauty doesn’t appear to be an option
anymore, she states how, “you need to have confidence in who you are, I’ve
earned the wrinkles; we have to impart that to the next generation”. This is
the otherwise frightening future for models that want to pursue a career in the
industry. Tziporah admitted that the use of Photoshop
on one of her photos, made her reflect on her youthful beauty but she knows
that is not what she looks like anymore. This is the most important thing up
and coming models need to realise, natural beauty changes but lasts a lifetime,
where as Photoshop creates the false youthful beauty. “We need more role models
in real women and what age does to you. I hope we can turn the pendulum back, I
think it’s important to show the other side.”
The future
provoking of models and their beauty, in order to stay in touch with the
fashion industry continues to be discussed. The uncertainty on whether the
space will open up for the older generation, to resume their livelihood on the
spreads of editorial remains to be on hold. Very few fashion designers voice
the same opinion as Alber Elbaz, Dolce and Gabbana are one other brand that exposes
the all age unit in most of their campaigns, in the words of Tziporah, “they
will use the three generations, they will be the beautiful old model, then
there will be a woman in her 30’s and then a woman in her 20’s and finally a
younger child”. There is still opportunity for women like Tziporah to create a
division between the young and mature, as Tziporah herself has portrayed
recently for Lanvin and the All Walks Beyond The Catwalk organisation. These advents justify how, “a woman
in her 80’s wants to be noticed as much as girl in her 20’s”. Some mature women
might have the same confidence levels as Tziporah, it is just a question of
whether designers are willing to take risks and choose to break fashion boundaries,
to start a potential fashion revolution in the future and stop the on-going obvious,
“I’m confident and I know I can hold my own”. It appears there are no rules in
general fashion terms, but there seems to be a barrier on who can model for a
brand.
“The average 20 year old cannot afford these designers
clothes, so it makes more sense to use the older woman in advertising
campaigns, its much more refreshing”, an important point made by Tziporah which
should be considered by designers when planning their future commercials, after
all it gives a false impression for the younger generation that they can afford
these luxury clothes. The age issue continues to
be debateable, but with role models such as Tziporah, All Walks and a few
luxury brands, we can only hope that the future provokes an equal balance of
young and mature, that could prove to be beneficial for the image of fashion.
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