Interview: Grey Model Agency Founder Rebecca Valentine on Why Advertising Needs Older Models

In this feature I talk to Rebecca Valentine, founder of Grey Model Agency. Even though nearly half of consumer spending in the UK is by people over fifty, we seldom see older people in advertising; particularly in fashion. While this has been changing over the last year or so, there is still a disproportionate number of young models, even advertising products that few could afford in their twenties and thirties.

Michael Millen models for Lyle & Scott. Grey Model Agency

Here on Grey Fox Blog I've been trying to work against this, in a very small way indeed, by finding brands who will allow me to wear and feature their clothes and accessories. And it's not easy, as even brands and PR companies I've supported for years suddenly plead budgetary constraints when I ask for their help. I can't help feeling that this is often because I don't represent the youthful markets they all feel they need to chase. This myopia about even trying to awake the sleeping giant that is the older demographic is potentially self-destructive for an industry that often struggles.

In the professional modelling world there are few older models, but the most successful of the agencies that represent them is the Grey Model Agency. I've known their founder, Rebecca Valentine, for a while, but so busy has she been that I've only just managed to catch up with her to find out more about her agency as it bucks the ageist trend of fashion advertising. I talked to her about the agency and brands' attitudes to older models.

Brands can no longer [realistically] believe that their market [is] locked into brand loyalty at a young age, nor that... older men and women have a deep-rooted desire to return to their youth... Rebecca Valentine

Jon Campling models for Budweiser. Grey Model Agency

Q: Rebecca, tell us how you came to found Grey Models?

Fifteen years ago as a photographic agent I set up Streetmodel, a casting database of ordinary people, to service my photographer who needed interesting ordinary people for various commercial briefs. We also made the service available to the industry and noticed that the mature models, both male and female, were booked far more than others, which provoked the question, why? 

In 2015 when I had hung up my photographic agent coat feeling I had achieved everything I set out to, I wondered again at the mature model interest and why there was no agency dedicated to this interesting section of society. Having called on old friends, master photographer Paul Spencer and former model and Westwood muse, Sara Stockbridge to join me in a secret casting in London we discovered that my hunch that times were changing were correct. The event was attended by a diverse mix of elegant-eccentric mature models. The overwhelming feeling was that ‘It is time’, and so Grey Model Agency was founded based on signing atypical models to represent the much needed gap in the market.

Matthew Morris models for Esprit. Grey Model Agency

Q: Why did you start Grey Models?

Boredom mainly. I had become disillusioned with the creative industries, through advertising, music and fashion. There was such an emphasis on cheap bland art. Models all looked the same and indeed, so did campaigns, album covers and catwalks. We had all risen from the diversity of the 80’s when punk, New Romantic, mods and ‘casuals’ cared about their identities and their image. Music had the power to change international thinking over famine and economic imbalance. 

Gender was becoming less black and white and racism was being put in its place. It was the worst of times and the best pop times, which funnily enough seems to be happening again with art, music and fashion reacting against questionable economics and politics. Grey was a response to all of this. Ironically the shock of the new by representing the old agers who were making a difference in their youth 30 years ago.

Philippe Dumas and Zvona Vuckovic for Ghetaldus Optika. Grey Model Agency

Q: What is the attitude of brands generally to using older models? Does this change attitude vary in relation to older men and older women models?

Brands are changing their approach - slowly - and I’d like to think that Grey had something to do with that along with the positive press we have received across the world from launch, but I believe it is mainly due to the market pressure and desire for true representation in advertising. 

Blogs and social media has given the market a strong voice never-before seen, about what they want, what they need and how they want to be portrayed. The older demographic of course have all the disposable income too which is a new development. Brands can no longer believe that their market [is] locked into brand loyalty at a young age, nor that the petty chauvinistic belief that older men and women have a deep-rooted desire to return to their youth and do anything to accomplish that, still stands. 

There has been a major focus over the past two years on this issue for women, but mature men have been overlooked - either believed to already be well presented as silver foxes or unbothered by their lack of representation. It is an idle view and brands are discovering that it is to their financial cost.

Grey Models

Q: What advantages do you see there is to brands of using older models? What types of older model do you see being most successful?

Since launch two years ago Grey has seen significant shifts in mature model trends. Initially, we couldn’t move for briefs calling for Helen Mirren or George Clooney lookalikes. Briefs began to widen to call for the long silver-haired sirens and chiseled silver bearded foxes, but more recently we have seen a further opening up to diversity within this age group to embrace more atypical looks; deepest wrinkles, weather-worn, slim and muscular, quirky, mixed race, beautiful body art - elegant-eccentric. 

It is a breath of fresh air and not whimsical in the least as these looks, or using them, delivers a powerful message visually and socially. Perception of beauty and economic identity is changing.

An expensive sharp well-tailored suit worn by an atypical male model, such as former fisherman-turned-top-fashion-model, Alessandro Bodio, can deliver the shock of the new. It is arresting, forces one to question their preconceptions, shows how models looks and a quality product can be juxtaposed. 

While there will always be a demand for the strikingly beautiful men and women whose looks make them seem unattainable, I also see a move towards the more atypical look that provokes and disarms.

Grey Models

Q: How do you see the future of Grey Models?

Already we are much mimicked around the world with agencies sprouting up from Russia, to Brazil, USA to Australia, but what they lack is the uniquely British approach to left-field identity, beauty and fashion. I receive many requests for Grey opening branches in Italy, New York, LA, but currently we need to establish our London agency and also be sure that the market can support an agency in different territories.

In London we are dealing with clients worldwide from Seoul to Toronto, we also represent international models from all four corners of the world and, when budgets allow, our unique-looking models are being booked and flown across territories. When we feel this movement is greater than London can deal with then perhaps we will look at more international branches. The future then is very bright!

Q: Many thanks Rebecca for that fascinating insight.

Click here for more work by Grey Models.

Belstaff x Rankin photoshoot features Sir Ranulph Fiennes

Photographer Rankin has collaborated with Belstaff to feature the celebrated explorer, Sir Ranulph Fiennes in a photoshoot featuring Belstaff's jackets and boots. Sir Ranulph met stuntman Riley Harper and the two were photographed to embody the spirit of adventure each represents.

The shoot is tagged "Worship The Ground" and some of the images were shot from below a glass floor across which the two models ran and rode Harper's custom 1965 Triumph TR6 Trophy bike. See the video below:

I attended a lecture last year at which Sir Ranulph talked about his life and his recent adventure running the Marathon des Sables on behalf of the charity, Marie Curie - described in his book 'Heat' (available below). Sir Ranulph is a man of supreme courage and humour and it's good to see a brand using an older man of his calibre to advertise its products. More information and links below.

  

• To see and buy from the Belstaff 'Worship the Ground' collection, click here. 
• Buy Heat: Extreme Adventures at the Highest Temperatures on Earth from AmazonUK and support Grey Fox Blog.
• Marie Curie and Sir Ranulph Fiennes, click here.
• All images above by Rankin, click here.

This feature is unsponsored.

British menswear, the older man and where are the grey-haired models?

London Collections:Men took place last week and showed the best of British menswear to the world. It's wonderful to see how the event grows each year with foreign sales increasing and British brands having a high standing in the US and Asia. However, I continue to be puzzled by the industry's failure to see the largely untapped and affluent market under their noses at home in the UK.

Duchamp - one of the few menswear brands to use older models

The older man is a demographic that increases in size and spending power every year and the failure to market to this group is short-sighted. A few grey hairs on the catwalks and in advertising would awaken this market, but, Duchamp and Oliver Spencer excepted, the models at this LC:M were again young men in their twenties, many of whom did not even properly fit into the clothes they were showing.

I would urge brands to employ a few grey hairs when casting for future shows and advertising. Older men will then see the possibilities and buy.

Models of all ages at Arts University Bournemouth's show at London Graduate week 2014

This week has been Graduate Fashion Week in London, the chance for recently graduating fashion graduates to show their designs. I was invited to the Arts University Bournemouth show. Not only was the range of design talent impressive, but the graduates had used a variety of models, aged from 7 to the 70s, showing that fashion is for all - and this set me thinking.

Image Grey Fox

The more older men and women I see wearing a wide range of clothing, the more I realise that there are few styles that can't be worn at any age - it's how you wear a look rather than what you wear. Confidence and a strong sense of style are needed - but self-confidence grows with age, so use it.

In the image above are the incomparable Jean Woods, of Fabulous Fashionistas fame, who was walking the catwalk for the first time at Graduate Fashion Week (and did so with great style and confidence) and David Gant, the experienced model and actor. 

Image Grey Fox

David Gant wears a suit designed by Lizzie Atkins from Arts University Bournemouth. Lizzie recently won a Bladen Tailoring prize - see my post here.

Image Grey Fox

Jean Woods wearing the designs of Neha Bhushan, another Arts University Bournemouth graduate.

Well done to all at Arts University Bournemouth for a superb show - and for showing that fashion is ageless.

Ageless style in The Guardian - are attitudes changing? When will the fashion industry sell to the older man?

In an excellent article on 22nd February, The Guardian's Anne Karpf wrote about the rise of older fashion models and accompanied this online with a gallery, Ageless Style - In Pictures. While it was gratifying to see my image included in the gallery, I was more impressed that there is at least discussion about the topic. It's been a strong theme of this blog that the fashion industry needs to sit up and take notice of older men and women - a burgeoning and affluent demographic. 

While there is a long way to go, grey style now has its foot firmly in fashion's door. So, I fail to understand how hard-nosed commercial organisations can ignore a large market like the grey pound. As I'm reporting here on Grey Fox, the products are there, but the willingness to sell them to us, using older models and sophisticated sales campaigns, is absent.

Here are the links:

Ageless Style - In Pictures

Older models: the women in their 60s, 70s and 80s who are shaking up fashion

Paul Weller and daughter Leah model for Daks 120th Anniversary campaign

I'm always banging on about the lack of older models selling menswear, so well done to Daks for using Paul Weller and his daughter, Leah, in their 120th Anniversary campaign. Here they are singing Weller's You do something to me. 

Grey hairs on the catwalk in 2014 - is the older man coming of age in the fashion world?

I've often written about the need for more older models in fashion advertising. It seems so obvious that the older man, a huge and affluent demographic, is likely to buy more clothes if he sees older role models wearing stylish, fashionable, cool (whatever label you like to apply) clothes. 

Gordon Richardson on the catwalk in June 2012 for Oliver Spencer

Last summer I expressed my disappointment on Twitter at the exclusive use of young models at one of the June LC:M's presentations and was struck from that particular guest list in January for my pains. However, this was the only negative response. I've spoken to many people who agree that it makes sense to have more grey hairs on the catwalk. I was delighted when I met Hackett before Christmas and was told that they would use older models in their show at LC:M - as indeed they did (see below).

Hackett AW14

Some labels, like Oliver Spencer (below) and Rake, have always seen the sense of marketing to a wide age range. It works well when we see a mix of ages on a catwalk or in a fashion advert. Each age group wears, and accessorises clothes differently, and it helps to see this.

Oliver Spencer AW14

Look at Gordon Richardson, design director at Topman (pictured at the top of this post). One day he wears a conventional navy blazer with dark polo neck and spotted pocket square; the next a skinny-trousered Topman creation. Yet he always looks good without appearing to try too hard. Whether you like his style or not, he shows the possibilities for older men.

We need such role models. Suitably inspired, older men will dress creatively, stylishly and adventurously.

Grey Fox models 8 - Alan Paine - grey hairs in fashion advertising

Many congratulations to Alan Paine for using older male models in advertising their knitwear, country and lifestyle wear. Alan Paine tell me that this model will shortly reappear wearing their Autumn/Winter range - and I'll show you a picture of that soon.

Yes, older men do like to dress stylishly too!

I hope to feature more about Alan Paine in due course; meanwhile, take a look at the website here for more on this historic British brand.

Here's another older man advertising their Explorer Collection.

Grey Fox Models 6: grey hair fashion advertising - well done T.K. Maxx

Well done to TK Maxx for recognising that the older, wiser and greyer among us like to wear stylish clothes.

Click here for other advertisers bucking the youth-obsessed trends of the fashion world.

And see also the Grey Fox Pinterest board for more grey haired menswear advertising.

Grey Fox Models: grey hair fashion advertising - well done Hackett

How often do you see menswear fashion adverts aimed at the older man? Not often. Yet the older man, as a demographic, is growing in size. I suspect that we are also taking an increasing interest in matters of style. So, I'm going occasionally to post images of adverts featuring grey foxes. I may need your help with this; please contact me if you see any suitable for showing here. Please also visit my accompanying Pinterest board, Grey Hair Fashion Adverts here.

Congratulatulations to Hackett for this one, which I found in Le Magazine du Monde when visiting Paris recently. I would like to know if it's been used in any UK or US publications, or does its appearance in a French magazine simply reflect the greater interest among older French men in stylish fashion?

Older and middle aged men can be style icons and fashion models too

I recently received a beautifully-designed brochure for Ralph Lauren's Double RL range. Leafing through it got me thinking again about how fashion retailers are selling clothes to men. Usually younger men model the clothes - it seems that modern icons of style are generally seen as being well under 40 years of age. Here are RL's young models, selling decidedly classic clothes which, I suspect, many older men would be happy to buy -

It's refreshing to find successful purveyors of men's style who recognise that older men will buy and wear fashionable clothes. Have a look at these scans of Mr Porter's latest sales literature. Their style icons include a disctinctly older Pablo Picasso -

Also, they don't shy away from using slightly older models to wear their range of clothes; see the scans below, from their Spring Summer 2012 Collection brochure, and note that grey stubble. Given the economic power of men over 40, I wonder why more companies don't take the same approach as Mr Porter.