Australian Fashion Week: Model Kate Bell, 52, to hit the runway

Kate Bell is pioneering a new wave of mature age models and calling on ageing to be dismantled as she prepares to grace the Australian Fashion Week runway.

Kate Bell wants a “mature-age modelling tsunami”.

Although she seems to be doing a pretty good job of creating it herself.

Bell is modelling “almost as much” as she did during her 20s and early 30s and is now preparing to hit the runway at Australia Fashion Week at age 52.

But, while things are good, they could be better. Race and size stereotypes are being systematically demolished in campaigns and on runways, the “age thing” as she calls it, seems to be a little slow.

“The whole market is opening up and every other aspect of modelling is becoming more and more diverse — which is fantastic — but age-wise we still seem to be sticking with young models,” she said.

Kate Bell, 52, has been modelling for 35 years. Picture: Tim Hunter

“And maybe it’s because I’m still working but I am starting to become a bit of an activist.

“I am seriously starting to ask the question more and more. Why? Why only young women? We are happy to celebrate other kinds of diversity except age. Why is that? If a model can wear a garment in the way it’s designed to be worn, why does it matter how old she is?

“Some advertisers are starting to get it and, wow, compared to when I was in my 20s, we have come a very long way. But it’s a slow process. And I want to see a tsunami.”

Kate Bell will be part of Australian Fashion Week. Picture: Tim Hunter

Mature age models were, she says, a complete anomaly two or three decades ago.

“One would pop up every now and then as a novelty. Always a man. Never a woman. And everyone would say: ‘Oh isn’t it fantastic. Isn’t that great’,” she says.

Bell says she has resisted any pressure to go under the knife which is often still seen as a prerequisite for women.

“Who knows what I decide at 65 when gravity really starts to take hold. But at the moment it’s actually kind of liberating to be able to age and have wrinkles!”