Is it ever too late to take to the catwalk? Modelling agency Models Direct think not and are always delighted when this opinion is reflected by the fashion and modelling industries.

Many assume that a model’s career is short lived, restricted to their teens and early twenties, but this is simply untrue – some models are lucky enough to have a timeless look that guarantees them work year after year.

We recently reported on 70 year-old mature catwalk model Valerie Pain, who recently had an outfit redesigned for her by Fyodor Podgorny and Golan Frydman, just so that she could model it for them at London Fashion Week. This week we would like to acknowledge another incredibly chic mature model – 80 year old style icon Carmen Dell’Orefice.

Now in her 66th year of modelling Carmen Dell’Orefice first came into the public eye in 1946 when she covered Vogue aged just 15 – the first of a total of six appearances on the famous magazine’s front cover to date. You may also recognise her from campaigns for Rolex and various cosmetic companies, including Chanel. This year the silver haired beauty has walked for both Adrienne Vittadini and Alberta Ferretti, proving that with the right look and attitude it is never too late to be a model!

Dell’Orefice is without doubt an elegant woman who still turns heads and captivates audiences and photographers with ease but she is surprisingly down to earth. When recently questioned by Telegraph reporter Lisa Armstrong on whether or not her impressively long and full eyelashes were her own she responded: “They are. So’s my beard. And I have to pluck it every day, for your information.” What a refreshing response from someone who you may easily be convinced into thinking wakes up in the morning looking effortlessly stunning.

Despite an enviable figure for her years the style icon resists what she refers to as “the bad designers who try to put me in leather pants that I’d never wear”.

“I’m a working woman of 80 trying to work out what the image I can project is. How I can do it with, you know, dignity,” She says.

Models Direct thinks she is doing a fantastic job. What do you think of mature models like Carmen Dell’Orefice and Valerie Pain?