As advocates of model diversity, Talent Management was happy to see that Lanvin’s Alber Elbaz has cast not just ‘real’ male and female models, but models ranging from 18 to 82 years old, in his latest ad campaign!

The fall 2012 images – shot by Steven Meisel with creative direction by House + Holme’s Ronnie Cooke Newhouse and Stephen Wolstenholme – are a huge hit at the agency, and it’s easy to see why. We believe that fantastic displays of age diversity like this promote body confidence and are inspirational for everyone, but what made Elbaz cast outside of the model norm?

“I was interested to bring these clothes back to the street somehow, and seeing how they look on different ages, different sizes,” Elbaz told WWD. “It felt like a crazy family, and I like that.”

Of the all models cast, we were particularly drawn to the eldest of the group, 82-year-old Jacquie Murdock, seen above. Apparently she’s an ex-dancer who went by the stage name Tajah, but today is better known for her regular appearances on ‘Advanced Style’, a street style blog.

Fashionista recently asked the brown-haired beauty how the Lanvin campaign came about: “I was a dancer at the Apollo theatre at the age of 17. [A few years ago] I was walking down by Union Square, because I live in the Village, and a young man stopped me by the name of Ari Cohen and said ‘Miss, can I take your picture?’ This happens to me quite often, and I said, ‘For what?’ He said he had this website called Advanced Style for elders who are stylish. The jacket I had on was from Paris, and I threw my hands in the air and said ‘Ta-da!’ Then he called me and told me that [Lanvin] was interviewing people for a campaign. They saw that I went on the Today Show with a few of the ladies [from Advanced Style]. So I went to the interview. The next day I had a call from Ari Cohen that they accepted me. [They said] I would be on a photo shoot for the campaign, which I know very little about.”

Thankfully, real, relatable and diverse looks like those seen in Lanvin’s campaign no longer seem a rarity. Recent examples that Talent Management have blogged on include a 42-year-old modelling for British Vogue’s ‘Ageless Style’ cover, American Apparel casting a grey-haired beauty in their latest campaign and our very own 74-year-old model Herb enjoying his latest modelling job at the beach – let’s just hope this trend rises and Botox babies fall!