After decades of worshipping youth, 2026 has brought visible turn: women over 40, 50 and even 70 are appearing on major magazine covers, in luxury campaigns and leading runways, but the change is also driven by money, image and a still-narrow beauty ideal
The latest round of fashion shows was notable for the near-total absence of size diversity on the runway. But at the same time, the industry took a significant step forward on another front: age.
In late January, 50-year-old model Stéphanie Cavalli, with her gray hair fully visible, opened Chanel’s haute couture show. Chanel creative director Matthieu Blazy included mature women as part of an approach aimed at presenting fashion that real women can identify with. European media described it as couture’s “age taboo” being broken. And Blazy is far from alone.
Stéphanie Cavalli opens the Chanel show(Photo: Gettyimages IL/Marc Piasecki)
Miu Miu’s fall-winter 2026 show, one of the most talked-about presentations of the year, was closed by 57-year-old actor Gillian Anderson. Chloë Sevigny, 51, also walked the runway, as did 1990s supermodel Kristen McMenamy, 61.
Designer Michael Kors recently marked 45 years of his brand with a nostalgic and emotional moment, giving retired supermodel Christy Turlington, 57, the honor of closing his show. And in February, Kate Moss, one of the defining stars of the 1990s, closed Demna’s debut show for Gucci in a tight, sparkling dress at age 52. Similar gestures appeared on the runways of Tom Ford, Alaïa and Carolina Herrera.
