Daphne Selfe
Daphne Selfe | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Daphne Selfe July 1, 1928 London, England |
| Occupation(s) | Model and writer |
| Years active | 1949–present |
| Notable work | The Way We Wore: A Life in Clothes (book of 2015) |
| Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) |
| Spouse | Jim Smith (1954-1997; his death) |
| Children | 3 |
Daphne Selfe (born July 1, 1928 in London, England) is a British model known for her extensive career in the fashion industry, particularly for her work later in life.[1]
Biography
[edit]Selfe was born in London and spent her early years in the Home Counties. During World War II, she was sent to boarding school. After the war, she worked at Heelas department store in Reading (now John Lewis), where she won a local magazine cover competition at age 21. This led to her joining the Gaby Young Agency in London and receiving formal training in modelling.[2]
In 1954,[3] she married Jim Smith, a television and theatre production professional. They had three children. Selfe paused her modelling career to focus on her family and took on roles as an extra in television and film productions. She returned to modelling in 1998, a year after her husband's death.
Career
[edit]Selfe's modelling career began in 1949[4] and included work as an artist's model, department store model, and commercial model. She appeared in advertisements for various products, ranging from clothing to food and beverages.[5]
In 1998, at the age of 70,[6] Selfe was invited to model for the Red or Dead show at London Fashion Week. Her appearance garnered significant attention, leading to a feature in Vogue and a contract with Models 1 agency.
Since then, she has worked with brands such as Dolce & Gabbana, TK Maxx, and Nivea, and has been photographed by renowned photographers including Mario Testino and David Bailey.[7]
Selfe has also appeared in music videos, including Will Young's "Light My Fire" in 2002 and Paul McCartney's "Queenie Eye" in 2013.
In recognition of her contributions to fashion, Selfe was awarded the British Empire Medal in the New Year Honours list.[8]
Publications
[edit]- The Way We Wore: A Life in Clothes. Pan Macmillan, 2016. ISBN 9781447291930
Awards
[edit]| Year | Award name | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | British Empire Medal | Being the longest-lived model in the world |
Daphne Selfe was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the 2019 New Year Honours for her contributions to women and fashion. Her extensive modeling career, which began in 1949, gained renewed prominence when she was featured in Vogue at the age of 70, challenging industry norms and promoting the inclusion of older models. Additionally, in 2015, she established the Daphne Selfe Academy[9] to mentor women of all ages, emphasizing professionalism, etiquette, and healthy living. These efforts have inspired agents, photographers, and clothing designers to consider older people as models.
Personal life
[edit]Daphne Selfe has maintained an active lifestyle throughout her life. She has practiced yoga since the age of 20, a discipline introduced to her by photographer Gilbert Adams, and continues to incorporate it into her daily routine alongside ballet and Pilates exercises.[10][11]
In addition to her modeling career, Selfe has a passion for the arts and regularly attends theater performances. She has expressed particular enjoyment in attending afternoon tea, especially at Brown's Hotel in London.
Selfe resides in Baldock, Hertfordshire, and remains active in her community. She has been known to travel by train to various engagements and continues to participate in modeling assignments and public appearances.
References
[edit]- ^ "Daphne selfe - Models 1 | Europe's Leading Model Agency". www.models1.co.uk. Retrieved 2025-05-07.
- ^ Charpentier, Denisse (2013-08-19). "Top model más vieja del mundo demuestra que su profesión no tiene edad". BioBioChile - La Red de Prensa Más Grande de Chile (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-05-07.
- ^ Leaper, Caroline (2018-09-28). "The world's oldest model Daphne Selfe at 90: 'I don't do retiring'". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2025-05-07.
- ^ "Daphne Selfe, la modelo de 90 años que ha desbancado a las veinteañeras". ¡HOLA! (in Spanish). 2018-12-10. Retrieved 2025-05-07.
- ^ "Daphne Selfe, la supermodelo más longeva del mundo, revela qué alimento (y hábitos) la mantienen en forma a sus 96 años: "Me gusta la Nivea y beber mucha agua"". Women's Health (in European Spanish). 2025-05-05. Retrieved 2025-05-07.
- ^ García (Realización), Ana Valls y Chabela (2014-01-25). "Daphne Selfe, la modelo cuya carrera despegó cuando cumplió 70". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-05-07.
- ^ "Los curiosos trucos para estar en forma de Daphne Selfe, la top model de 96 años: "Nunca es tarde, se puede hacer de todo"". TELVA (in Spanish). 2025-05-07. Retrieved 2025-05-07.
- ^ Leaper, Caroline (2018-12-28). "Honours for Britain's veteran supermodels Twiggy, 69, and Daphne Selfe, 90. An example for generation selfie?". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2025-05-07.
- ^ "Daphne Self, la top octogenaria que crea una academia de modelos para 'educar' a las jóvenes". ELMUNDO (in Spanish). 2015-10-13. Retrieved 2025-05-07.
- ^ "A Supermodel at 94, How Daphne Selfe Makes Waves in the Fashion Industry and Tears Age and Beauty Standards Apart". Bright Side — Inspiration. Creativity. Wonder. 2022-10-01. Retrieved 2025-05-07.
- ^ Features, Country Life published in (2016-12-19). "Daphne Selfe's favourite things, from afternoon tea to yoga". Country Life. Retrieved 2025-05-07.