The Rise of the Mature (Role) Model.

As we get further into the Autumn/Winter fashion campaigns this year there is an extraordinary trend developing.
More and more mature faces are featuring in the latest ads, many of which are being premiered in August issues.

Olay choose 60 year old Twiggy to head up their campaign, Louis Vuitton and 50 year old Madonna pair up for a second campaign, Christy Turlington fronts Bally and YSL at 40, and Pringle have shunned younger models this year in favour of Tilda Swinton (49).

So what is motivating the fashion industry into this sudden increase in the use of more mature models? Apparantly sales have gone very well for Vuitton since Madonna was asked to star in their ads. People are even requesting the ‘Madonna Bag’.
“Madonna brings so much more to the clothes than a model' says Marc Jacobs. Jacobs says he chose the Queen of Pop for 'her presence’ and ‘her strength’ and he described her as ‘an iconic woman'.

This appears to be the point. Clearly none of these older ladies are typical of their age group in terms of looks, however, more than anything they represent women of character, who have achieved and have this advantage over the teen ‘mannequin’.

Madonna is a healthy, driven woman, a mother, who eats and works out and continues to enjoy her life to the full.
As for Turlington, her outlook again illustrates the appeal of her maturity. This is a family woman, who’s studying and charity work is her biggest priority.
'Now I'm 40, I might be on the cusp of the career that I always wanted. I can't justify [expensive clothes] — honestly, I'd rather feed people.'

What is the biggest appeal of these (role) models?