"Real People" In, Super Models Out

by Lauren Cochrane,  The Guardian

Supermodels sidelined as Lanvin puts 'real' women in fashion ads

Blogs documenting street style behind decision by French fashion house to dump the professionals for autumn/winter shoot

The era of the big-name supermodel may be coming to an end, if the new advertising campaign by Lanvin is anything to go by. Inspired by the increasing popularity of street style blogs, the French fashion house has created a series of advertisements featuring "real" people rather than models wearing its autumn/winter collection.

Jacquie "Tajah" Murdock, 82, in one of the Lanvin ads for the autumn-winter collection. Photograph: Steven Meisel

Former Lanvin models such as Aymeline Valade and Marte Mei van Haaster have been replaced by a cast of non-professional models ranging in age from 16 to 82, including a waiter, a milliner, a blogger, a philanthropist and a retired dancer.

Judging by the response online, many others liked it too. PhotographerAmanda de Cadenet, the Italian Vogue editor, Franca Sozzani, and online fashion store Styloko all voiced their approval on Twitter, while Melanie Rickey, Fashion-Editor-At-Large blogger and editor at large at Grazia, said: "Models are a blank canvas to project style on to, but these are people you would sit with at a party and get to know."

photos by Steven Meisel