I’ve lost count of the number of ‘poor-us’ conversations I’ve had with brands recently on the decline in fashion retail sales. Things really are pretty bleak for retailers, yet in all cases the brands seem to think the answer is to attract more Millennial aged consumers. It’s exasperating, despite us grown up women having the money and the inclination to buy, we still seem to be as popular as Donald Trump currently is in Canada.
Some smarter brands however, are doing their research and realising we’re worth a punt. And getting good images of stylish role models seems to be where they’re starting.
It was heartening to hear about JD William’s new Midster Model Search campaign for a couple of older women to represent the brand. It’s looking for women who are 45plus and any size from 10 to 32, who’re available to walk for the September show and represent the brand in its future marketing campaigns. Judges will include Uwe Herzstein from Models 1, which is looking to expand its older models category and the lovely Jan De Villeneuve, above – wearing this season’s JD Williams, who seems to have cornered the market for ‘older style icon’. Could this be your chance to shine?
JD Williams has done a huge amount to attract us grown up women to its collection of well priced clothes, including investing in serious research to really find out what we want. Its Midsters Report from 2017 makes for fascinating reading, with 81% of us thinking that women of 45plus are not well represented on the world’s fashion catwalks and 79% of us thinking that we’re not well represented in high street fashion either. Not hard to see how brands could make a bit more money is it? Well perhaps you can help them, if you think you might be up for it, find out more on the JD Williams website here.
Then our friends over at Neal’s Yard informed us about its Age Well Revolution campaign, where they are looking for seven 40plus women to be the face of their new Age Well campaign (we’re still LOVING the Frankincense Intense range BTW, have you tried it yet?) Conscious that us grown up women feel largely ignored, they too are out to change how ageing is portrayed by recruiting women for their next campaign who refuse to let age be a restriction to what they do in later life. Sound like you? Well, get yourself on the list. I’m impressed by the judging panel which includes co owner of Neal’s Yard Anabel Kindersley but also Millie Kendall MBE and Anna-Marie Solowij, both influential beauty insiders, so maybe us older women are about to become a ‘thing’ in beauty circles.
Suddenly, it might be all about us. Here’s hoping.
It’s always encouraging when any company looks to diversify its customer base and now here’s the but……… I’m a 5 foot tall 60+ woman who is a size 6 -8. I have looked at collections supposedly designed for women of my age but the clothes all swamp me.I can’t be the only older women who is on the small side!
Dear Jan, you might like Eileen Fisher – they do a petite range and the fabrics are lovely. Not sure how easy it is to find in the UK though. I’m 6-8 too and the xx-small in the regular range fits me perfectly (am a bit taller than you). It’s not all my style but 3 or 4 things I found there are probably among my favourite clothes.
Thanks LMG will have a look-see. To be honest the clothes modelled here in this WR post don’t look that different from what’s on offer in many High Street chains such as M & S, Topshop etc.