“Not particularly,” says Stephanie O’Dell. “What I do want, and what I know we need so much more of, is to see more models that represent the largest single buying segment in the world – women over 50 years of age.”
“We’re strong. We’re a passionate collective of women, and we want to update the way we, and the world, view women as we age. We want our facies, bodies, voices, and opinions valued and authentically represented. I believe that being a woman today means not letting anyone define you. You define you!”
DON’T LET THE WORLD DEFINE YOU, YOU DEFINE YOU.
I reached out to Stephanie to participate in NEXT CHPTR CHATS after hearing that she had established a modeling agency called Celebrate the Gray. That was 12 years ago, today, Stephanie, and Celebrate the Gray, represent over 400 50+ models (many grey haired), influencers and content creators.
WHAT MADE YOU THINK OF STARTING YOUR OWN AGENCY? (Excerpts of this article are from a Canvas Rebel article published 2023. https://canvasrebel.com/meet-stephanie-odell/
“My career path into this world came through retail fashion. I grew up in Napa [California] and started my career in a buying program at Macy’s. I pivoted to customer service and marketing. I left work when my kids were four and two and was a full-time mom until their early teens when I went to work in retail fashion. I had a knack for styling, especially older clients. I branched out to do fashion styling for Athleta (part of the GAP group of companies) and an online fashion company called Stitch Fix. This all led to me starting my own company called Shape Your Style.”
“My “ah ha” moment came when a 60-year-old client of mine told me the fashion industry had forgotten her, that she felt invisible and I noticed that she had begun to dress in gray, tan and black to (metaphorically) disappear, I knew something had to change.”
"The stylist in me asked if there was a real need for a fashion line specifically for women post menopause. A line that addressed how our bodies had changed from pregnancies, menopause and life."
WHY IS IT NOT OK TO AGE?
“As naïve as it sounds, I wondered why it was not okay to age, why were women told to stay young, be skinny, dye your hair and hide your wrinkles?”
“I didn’t know what me, a 54-year-old (at the time) part time fashion stylist, mother of two could accomplish but I knew I had to try. So, I started a blog that I called Celebrate The Gray, to speak to women aged 50+ to find out the reality of aging. I remember my first interview in Trader Joe’s – “Pat with the pink hair” – it took me about 15 minutes to work up the courage to talk to her, but that conversation changed my life. Not only did I feel inspired by Pat, but she too was also thankful for being noticed and happy someone was trying to change things. At the end of our conversation, Pat said “You made my day”. When in fact, Pat had ignited a passion in me that I had never imagined existed.”
CELEBRATE THE GRAY WAS BORN
“Little did I know that the first conversation with Pat would grow into Celebrate The Gray, a full service agency for 50+ woman. Celebrate The Gray is a full service agency designed as a vehicle for change and the opportunity for women to stand up and say “hey look at me, I’m older, beautiful, relevant and important.”
“These models represent the possibilities, not the limitations of aging. They are rewriting what age can look like. I work with brands to understand the 50+ customers to ensure the visuals and narratives represent how she looks, feels and acts.” I grew up in Napa [California] and started my career in a buying program at Macy’s. I pivoted to customer service and marketing. I left work when my kids were four and two and was a full-time mom until their early teens. I started Celebrate the Gray almost seven years ago."
WHAT WAS YOUR IMPETUS?
"As I mentioned earlier, I’ve worked with Athleta and loved helping women learn to love their bodies and address their shape. I’d styled over 6,000 client in just three years. Menopause and its impact on our bodies and psyche are huge. Our body changes. Along with hot flashes, brain fog and the myriad other changes, we also lose our sense of self. It’s as if we think, ‘The fashion industry has forgotten me, and I’ve forgotten me.’ We dress to become invisible. There’s a universal need for women to embrace their shape, learn how to dress it, and be more confident and comfortable in their clothes."
HOW DID CELEBRATE THE GRAY START?
"It started as a blog to see if there was a need for a fashion line and to provide a narrative around clothes and style for women who were no longer young. Women tend to think, ‘Once I’m 50, 60, 70, I’m retired and not out in the world doing.’ Is that what we’re fed, or is that our own story? I believe limitations are put upon us because we’re an underrepresented demographic. But I believe it’s more societal limitations. So, let’s back it up and see where we’re getting our messaging. We’re redefining beauty. Beauty really is based on a man’s ideal, not a woman’s ideal. Older women can be sexy, but those images aren’t out there. The more visuals you see, the more it starts to normalize things.
WE HAVEN’T TALKED AGE YET, DO YOU MIND TELLING US YOUR AGE?
"I’m 61."
WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN MODELS, AMBASSADORS AND INFLUENCERS?
"All Celebrate the Gray models are authentic. Everyone is over 50, gray or going gray and have not had any facial plastic surgery. They’re women who understand the poser of aging and want to be out there and part of it. I’m not a definer of beauty and not a definer of what brands are looking for in their models. We are changing the face of aging for ourselves and for all women."
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BRANDS THAT CELEBRATE THE GRAY HAS WORKED WITH?
"Brands are finding us. We’ve worked with Swimspot, Rinvoq, Athlete, The State of California DMV, H&M with Iris Apel and others. Our models have been considered for Maybelline, Folgers and Warner. I’ve also seen a huge uptake in pharmaceutical companies wanting talent that has the diseases that they are providing medications for, a model and a spokesperson. Social Media is changing a lot of things. People respond to authenticity. Brands are starting to wake up to the power of real people."
THE WORLD IS STARTING TO WAKE UP TO THE CHANGING DYNAMIC.
Numbers will always drive business and fashion. Perusing through British Vogue recently U was struck by a long article by Maya Singer – A certain AGE> Growing up no longer means growing out of fashion as more and more designers embrace muses aging gracefully and wearing exactly what they like. The author sites the number of designers this year that have featured models of various ages and body types. Look to the fall/winter collections that are arriving in stores now. Designers in New York were featuring much older models (albeit, usually with the same unrealistic body types as younger models). Singer sited the Batsheva show where every model was over 40 and many decades older. In Paris, Balenciaga reintroduced models from the 90s, as well as Miu Miu and Marine Serre and Balmain to name a few.
DOES AGING CHANGE THE WAY WOMEN ADDRESS FASHION?
“I think it does,” says Stephanie. “I think women’s relationship with clothes changes. I see women dressing in tan, grey and black – kind of disappearing. My advice; introduce some colour to your wardrobe, even if it’s just a shoe, bag or bracelet. It’s all about getting comfortable and understanding your shape, not hiding your shape. Colour is an amazing way to add vibrancy to your life. It’s like a spring day versus a winter day.”
“People think we’ve given up and settled into who we’ve been. That’s not the case. Women in their 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond are relevant. They’re saying – hey, I just got here. We’re living longer. We’re looking after ourselves. Most women would love to take advantage of new things, to learn. Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, we really are redefining what aging means. We are the generations that grew up reaching for the stars, why do you think we plan to stop now?”
COLOUR MAKES FOR ARRESTING IMAGES.
Interesting you say colour; I’ve been looking at images from photographer Susie Lang and her series @women.60.plus. The images that are most arresting are women in bright colours.
WHERE DO YOU FIND SANTURARY?
"I’m a trail runner. [My sanctuary is] any time my feet are on a hill with birds and deer. I solve all my problems on a trail. Now (I’ll admit with the help of HRT) I am training for a marathon with my daughter. We’re going to run the New York Marathon. Strength is so important for us as we age. My last marathon was 27 years ago. I did the 100th running of the Boston Marathon pregnant with my son. With menopause I found myself losing significant amount of muscle mass. Hormone Therapy has helped me find the strength and stamina to train. I know it’s not for everybody, but it is the right choice for me."
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