Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have shocked the fashion industry by casting three mature models to feature in their 2014 pre-fall lookbook.
The mini moguls’ fashion line, The Row, has always had a focus on timeless elegance and this season the twins chose three women aged 39-65 to represent their brand.
In the fashion world, where tradition dictates that youth equals beauty, the twin’s choice to cast Ursula Wallis, Esther de Jong and 65-year-old Linda Rodin in their campaign has sparked a worldwide age debate. Even Rodin, a former Harper’s Bazaar fashion editor was surprised at her selection.
“They called me to come in for a go-see and I thought, ‘Oh my God! A go-see!’ I tried on about six outfits. They called me back and said, ‘We’d love you to do it,'” Rodin told Elle of her casting experience.
Since the campaign, Rodin seems to be gaining recognition as the poster girl for female silver foxes everywhere. But she says that while people stop her on the street nowadays, the attention has only come with age.
“No one ever looked at me when I was 25! It’s a riot, but you don’t take it that seriously,” she told reporters.
While fashion fans have responded to the collection with a mix of mockery and praise, others have speculated the progressive casting choice shows the twins are well in tune with their client base. Here’s a peak of The Row’s controversial pre-fall campaign.
Mature models Ursula Wallis, Esther de Jong and 65-year-old Linda Rodin all model The Row’s 2014 pre-fall range.
“They really know exactly what they want,” Rodin says of the sisters. “They had beautiful mood boards that had older women on them and I saw exactly what they were thinking.”
“I’d be lying to say I love all my wrinkles, but going into it I knew what they wanted … The confidence they gave me was really crucial. I loved that I was respected for who I am,” Rodin said.
The Olsen twins have had an older demographic in mind for their collection which features sophisticated overcoats and classically tailored separates.
Rodin spoke of being empowered by the shoot: “I am proud of myself. How many times did I have ideas that I never did anything with? And this, I did.”
Ursula Wallis, whose exact age is unknown, also featured.
Esther de Jong, 39, was a popular model in the early 2000s and recently walked the runway in the fall 2013 Prada show.
This pre-fall collection has helped solidify The Row as an established high-end label.
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