Generation GAP
I’M not a fan of luxury fashion labels and have often had a pop at their ridiculous excesses.
Moschino charging £570 for a frock made out of a plastic dry-cleaning bag, Balenciaga’s £1,670 rip-off of an Ikea shopping bag and Burberry burning £28million of excess stock to protect the brand and stop its horrific tartan gear being worn by the “wrong people”.
But can we all give a big “Hurrah!” for Austrian fashion house Helmut Lang – which this week launched its autumn collection with the help of three new supermodels.
They are Dilys, Margaret and Gillian – a trio of glamorous grannies from Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales.
Gillian, 78, modelled a leather studded trench coat and ankle strap shoes while sporting a fag and a jet black beehive, while Margaret, 86, a former funeral director, paired her natty blazer and slacks with gold chains, sunglasses and a dapper walking stick.
And Dilys, also 86, who happens to be the world’s oldest skydiver having jumped out of a plane for charity more than 1,000 times, “vogued” like Madonna in a blue velvet trouser suit.
Now, I’ll admit that for a second I thought the designer might be taking the pee and had persuaded the three OAPS to do the campaign for novelty value. But
WHAT the foxtrot went wrong with the Strictly Come Dancing selection this year?
I only recognised eight of the 15 celebrity names and reckon the professional dancers will be better known than some of the “stars”.
I’m sure we’ll grow to love Danny John-jules, who appeared in Wham!’s Edge of Heaven video, Capital FM host Vick Hope and Dr Ranj Singh from Cbeebies’ Get Well Soon programme.
But I thought top celebs and sports stars were queuing up to get on the most popular show on the BBC? This lot are a then I watched the accompanying video for “Women of Wales” which features them and other local ladies discussing their lives, their love of home and family and their still-zinging zest for life. And I cheered. “We’re all born, and we’re all going to die,” says Dilys.
“So I know that I’ve got to live life and have a passion until the day I die. “My motto – the bigger the pile of s*** the bigger the jewel. You just have to go looking for it.”
And Gillian said simply: “You have to have pride in yourself.”
This week I was reading some depressing statistics that show today’s youngsters aren’t really interested in their grandparents’ life stories.
Many don’t know where they worked, how they met their partners, or what their youthful dreams were – as 42 per cent have never talked to Gran or Grandad about their past.
Because our OAPSS are too often dismissed as cardigan-wearing fuddyduddies who couldn’t possibly understand fashion, style or current trends.
Of course, few pensioners can afford designer gear, from Helmut Lang or any other fashion houses.
But this campaign is a breath of fresh air that we should all be celebrating.
Because living a life full of passion and pride must never go out of fashion.
bit, well, Z-list. Apart from adorable Katie Piper, 34, who I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing several times. Since suffering horrific burns in an acid attack in 2008 she has campaigned tirelessly for fellow victims of disfigurement and is one of the most generous, inspirational people I’ve ever met. This week she and the other contestants had their first proper rehearsal and Katie found it a struggle. But, when Dr Ranj admitted he wasn’t coping, she was the first to give him a hug and lift his spirits. Katie is a true star – and she’ll outshine the lot of them.