NYT names Jamaican among age-defying models on fashion’s top runways

The New York Times has spoken, and a Jamaican is leading the conversation.

This morning, on the front page of the New York Times Sunday Styles section, chief fashion critic Vanessa Friedman placed Romae Gordon at the centre of fashion’s most significant cultural shift in a generation. In her landmark cover story, “Ageless Beauty_ A Longer Runway to Be in Fashion”, Friedman documents the rise of older women as the new face of luxury fashion, and Gordon stands among some of the most iconic names in the industry, including Christy Turlington and Paulina Porizkova, as one of the women defining what that looks like.

The story reflects a movement that is now undeniable. Mature beauty is not just a token on the world’s most prestigious runways and coveted campaigns; it is being celebrated. From the houses of Chanel, Proenza Schouler and Givenchy to the major cosmetic companies now signing women of a certain age as the faces of their brands, the industry is signalling a structural shift in who fashion is for and who gets to define it.

As Friedman’s piece makes clear, this is not a trend; women of a certain age can enjoy graceful longevity in the space. 

In Gordon’s case, for decades, she was the woman behind the curtain, the one who saw greatness in others first. She helped scout, develop and launch the careers of the models who put the Caribbean on the global map — Jeneil Williams, Jaunel McKenzie, Nadine Willis, Nell Robinson, Oraine Barrett, Shantae Leslie and Zan Hyde, among them.

And now she has come full circle and is having an extraordinary comeback. It began with Versace in Milan, the first step back onto an international runway after more than thirty years. Then came Chanel Haute Couture in Paris under the creative vision of Matthieu Blazy, followed by his FW26 ready-to-wear collection at the Grand Palais. Then, New York, where she walked for Rachel Scott’s celebrated debut at Proenza Schouler and  Diotima. Each house, each season, each creative director reaching for the same woman to carry their vision down the runway. The Jamaican woman who was pivotal in building an industry from the inside out is now one of modelling’s most compelling stories for a longer runway.

Friedman draws on Gordon’s unique perspective for the extensive expose for the New York Times.. In her extensive exposé for the NYT, Friedman draws on Gordon’s experience and unique perspective. “There’s a practical reality agencies have to face: that older women have the purchasing power to buy what is being presented and they have a desire to see themselves and their lived experiences in these spaces,” Gordon is quoted in the story.

Gordon has brought a new meaning to longevity in the business, and in her case, it is from all angles as director of Caribbean Fashion,  producer and director of television and live events, writer and now back in front of the camera. One of the pillars for Romae’s team, Deeg, the head of the Sheldon Alexander Group, says, “Gordon epitomises the essence of the modern woman, a mom, a versatile and exceptional multi-hyphate.” 

Gordon continues to carve a new path for women and maintain Jamaica’s place among the best in global fashion.