By Piper Weiss

Carmen Dell’Orefice was born before Fashion Week even existed. The 81-year-old, who walked the runway for both Marimekko and Norisol Ferrari at NYFW on Monday, is the oldest working supermodel in the industry and proud of it.

“It’s what I enjoy doing, and I’m able to do it,” she told the Today Show before stepping on to the runway in a mocha-colored floor-length gown.

Discovered at 13, while riding a New York City bus with her mom, she landed the cover of Vogue only three years later. That was back in 1947, when $7.50 an hour was the going rate for the gig.

“It meant nothing to me,” she recalls of seeing her first cover, “except that I thought I looked like a little boy.”
Continue reading →

By Sapna Maheshwari

Abercrombie & Fitch’s (ANF) skin-filled ads and nightclub vibe once delighted American teenagers and infuriated parents. Today, many aren’t even paying attention. The once-edgy retailer has lost a third of its market value in the past year as it grapples with falling sales in Europe and the U.S. While Abercrombie blames the economy for its woes, brand consultants say it also has failed to change with the times.

Today’s teens are underwhelmed by the half-naked models and blaring, dimly lit stores. They’re also less inclined to wear Abercrombie’s longtime uniform of pricey denim and graphic T-shirts. “The trick for fashion brands is how to keep the core edgy and hot,” says Allen Adamson, a managing director at brand consulting firm Landor Associates.

Continue reading →