The agelessly elegant Carmen Dell’s Orefice celebrated her 80th birthday Friday. The 80-year old supermodel can still work a look after 50 years of modeling. Unlike many other supermodels, despite her age, Carmen Dell’s Orefice still strut the runway in her signature white-haired glory. She made her appearance for John Galliano in 2000 and Hermès in 2004 and Alberta Ferretti in 2011.
The octogenarian covered Vogue at the age of 15. She went on to pose for the most famous fashion photographers of the era including Cecil Beaton, Richard Avedon, Norman Parkinson, and Irving Penn. Despite early successes at a very young age, she could not get accept from modeling agent Eileen Ford to represent her. It was until 1953 she joined Ford.
The gorgeous model Carmen Dell'Orefice
At the age of 13, Carmen was approached to model by the wife of photographer Herman Landschoff.
Carmen Dell’s Orefice appeared on the cover of Vogue in 1947, becoming one of the youngest Vogue cover models ever (along with Monika Schnarre, Brooke Shields, and Niki Taylor).
Carmen became Salvador Dali's muse.
Dell'Orefice in the 2005 Red Dress Collection show for The Heart Truth
Carmen is featured regularly in many advertising campaigns.
She is referred as the world's oldest working model.
Her nine-year third marriage with architect Richard Kaplan made her desperate, so she decided to return to modeling in 1978.
1948, Julliard Wool ad
Carmen Dell’s Orefice in 1953
Carmen Dell'Orefice: World’s Oldest Working Model Turns 80
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Carmen Dell'Orefice: World’s Oldest Working Model Turns 80