This high fashion model is 82 years old

French fashion house Lanvin features ‘real people’ rather than professional models in its latest ad campaign.

‘Real people’ is usually code for ‘plus sized’ (AKA size 12 – so more like ‘average’ size but we digress…)

Enter Jacqueline ‘Tajah’ Murdock, the 82 year old ex-dancer with three (yes, three) university degrees. 

Her response to scoring the fashion shoot? “Long time coming.”

And to that we say bravo.

The full campaign – which features models with a range of ages and backgrounds – will begin appearing internationally in September.

Here are the campaign images that have been released so far:

Alber Elbaz, the brand’s artistic creator said: “I was interested to bring these clothes back to the street somehow, and seeing how they look on different ages, different sizes.”

This is what The Telegraph had to say:

Since the images were released a day or so ago, Murdock has become something of an internet sensation. Although Lanvin haven’t publicly named any of their new stars in the campaign images, the octogenarian was already a vaguely familiar face thanks to her appearance in Ari Cohen’s OAP-focused street style book, Advanced Style , but we had no idea of just how fascinating she was.

Fashionista.com tracked her down to ask her all about her life and it turns out there’s more to her than just enviable bone structure. She’s an active dancer who performed at New York’s legendary Apollo Theatre in her youth (Tajah is her dancer name), she has three, yes three, degrees from New York University – and she gets stopped in the street all the time by people wanting to take her picture thanks to her unique style.

There is no doubt that this is a publicity stunt and it’s designed to get people’s attention.

But you know what? They’ve got ours.

All power to them. After all, women keep saying that they prefer to buy clothing that’s advertised by women who look like them (you can read all about it here). Finally, it feels like the industry is starting to listen.

We’re hanging out for the day when this is the norm and not an anomaly.

When the images in our magazines are the images of the women all around us.

Different ages, different sizes, different colours. All of them beautiful.

What do you think of Lanvin’s new campaign?