Cover Dame Maggie Smith starred in Loewe’s spring-summer 2024 campaign (Photo: Instagram/@loewe)
Dame Maggie Smith starred in Loewe’s spring-summer 2024 campaign (Photo: Instagram/@loewe)
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Be it at Loewe, Gucci or Balenciaga, more mature stars such as Michelle Yeoh, Maggie Smith and Brian Cox bring their own brand of timeless elegance to the table
Fashion industry had plenty of exciting moments this year—such as the popularity of quiet luxury and the dominance of veteran models on runways—but one of our favourites has been major luxury brands choosing older celebrities as the face of their campaigns.
In an industry that is usually hyper-focused on youthfulness, it’s a refreshing change to see brands celebrate the talent, grace and years of experience that older celebrities bring to the table. Here, we look back at five advertisement campaigns that wowed us with their spotlight on stars who are 50 years old and above.
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1. Dame Maggie Smith for Loewe
Award-winning British actress Dame Maggie Smith has been acting since 1952, and she has played some of the most memorable characters on the silver screen, including Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter film franchise (2001-2011) and Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham in the historical drama series Downton Abbey (2010-2022).
Jonathan Anderson, the creative director of Loewe, chose Smith as his fashion muse for the Spanish maison’s latest advertisement campaign in October. The 88-year-old showcased several looks from the label’s spring-summer 2024 collection, including a two-toned fur coat and the brand’s signature Puzzle bag.
2. Brian Cox for Kith
Brian Cox is a seasoned, Shakespearean-trained actor who has starred in classic films such as Mel Gibson’s Braveheart (1995), Wes Anderson’s Rushmore (1998) and David Fincher’s Zodiac (2007). In recent years, he’s made waves by playing business magnate Logan Roy—a character inspired by media mogul Rupert Murdoch—in HBO’s hit series Succession—winning a Golden Globe for his performance.
The 77-year-old Scottish star cut a fine figure in the autumn 2023 video campaign of New York-based streetwear brand Kith, sporting a variety of looks such as a cream and camel collegiate jacket, a navy corduroy jacket and a grey polo-sweatshirt.
3. Michelle Yeoh for Balenciaga
The Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) star has always been a fashion chameleon on red carpets when attending her movies’ premieres, be it Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) or Crazy Rich Asians (2018). And finally luxury brands are giving full recognition to her potential as a timeless style icon.
Luxury house Balenciaga announced that the 61-year-old Malaysian actress was its new brand ambassador in November, and released its spring-summer 2024 campaign which showed her embodying striking elegance in a head-to-toe black ensemble.
4. Lee Jung-jae for Gucci
The international success of the Netflix series Squid Game (2021) thrust South Korean actor Lee Jung-jae into global spotlight, but prior to his acting career, Lee had debuted as a fashion model.
It’s no wonder then that his sleek sense of style earned him a brand ambassadorship with Gucci in 2021. In June this year, the 51-year-old appeared in the maison’s Valigeria campaign—which showcases the brand’s travel pieces—toting various styles of luggage through The Savoy Hotel in London.
5. Debbie Harry for Marc Jacobs
Debbie Harry, who’s best known as the lead singer of American rock band Blondie, has been a trendsetter ever since the band released its debut album in 1976. Since then, Blondie shot to fame with hits such as Heart of Glass and Call Me, and Harry’s punk style and cool-girl attitude carried on influencing fashion throughout the ’70s and ’80s.
In October this year, Marc Jacobs celebrated her icon status by making her the face of its St. Marc bag campaign. The 78-year-old rocked black and white looks and statement accessories such as elbow-length gloves and mega-platform heels, as well as her signature short hairstyle.
Amalissa Hall was the style writer at Tatler Hong Kong. Primarily focused on writing digital articles, she covers news, tracks trends and interviews experts from the fashion, beauty and wellness industries, as well as entertainment spheres. Interview highlights include Formula One driver Alex Albon, award-winning costume designer Jany Temime and prolific make-up artist Lisa Eldridge.
She has also produced print stories featuring make-up artists, perfumiers and other upcoming figures discussing Asian representation on social media, sharing industry insight and trends as well as explaining new approaches to wellness in Hong Kong.
