Daphne Selfe, the world’s oldest supermodel and holder of the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s oldest professional model, has died at the age of 97.
Daphne’s family announced her death on Instagram in a post with a photo of a pink magnolia against a blue sky containing the dates “01/07/1928 – 03/21/2026.”
Daphne Selfe (†97) had been modeling since 1949. She later took a break to focus on her three children, Mark (70), Claire (66) and Rose (65), who were born after her marriage to theater and television producer Jim Smith. She did not return to modeling until she was 70.
The model was born in Edmonton and began her career in the late 1940s when she won a modeling competition to be on the cover of a local magazine in Reading.
She and her husband lived in Hertfordshire. She resumed her career only after her husband died, who had suffered a series of strokes. Shortly after, in 1998, she was approached by the Red or Dead brand to do a photoshoot for London Fashion Week. Daphne realised the timing couldn’t be a coincidence, as she would never have been able to take up the offer before, due to her husband’s care, the Daily Mail reported . “It was quite well timed, it was right after my husband died when I got the job, and I would never have been able to do it while he was alive,” she said at the time.
“I was looking after him, he had various strokes and things like that and I had to look after him. I hadn’t been able to travel before, which is normal in modelling, and it was very exciting because I hadn’t travelled much before. I was on the Isle of Wight and that was about it.”
The most important thing for her was taking care of her health.
She had been practicing yoga since she was 20, and later Pilates. “Taking care of your health is the most important thing because modeling, if you do it properly, is hard work,” she advised. “It’s long hours, a lot of waiting, a lot of physical activity, and you also need a good work ethic.”
She saw taking care of her health as the most important part of her job.
But she also rejected any intervention in natural aging and didn’t understand why so many women felt the urge to dye their hair. Her motto was: “A wide smile is better than Botox.”
She reflected on going gray naturally: “I don’t understand why so many women who have lost their hair feel compelled to cover it up with color,” adding, “Gray hair is nature’s way of complementing older skin. It was a huge relief to embrace my naturalness and not dwell on the past anymore.”
She said about aging: “Everyone should remember that they have the potential to start over or do something different. It’s never too late. People can do different things.”
She was very inspiring.
Her agent Chantal Murray of Models 1 told the Daily Mail : “It’s very sad. She was absolutely amazing. She was a joy to work with and she was incredibly inspiring. She was also a very kind person.”
Tributes are being paid to her from across the fashion industry, including model Erin O’Connor, 48, who wrote: “RIP an amazing woman and fashion icon.”
Photographer and model Alistair Guy added: “She was my best friend and muse, I will miss you so much, the amazing Daphne. Rest in peace.”
Another photographer, Julia Fullerton-Batten, commented: “I’m so very, very sad… Daph…” Her agent Chantal had previously described her as someone with “an incredible spirit and energy that is absolutely captivating” , adding that she ” has an exceptional physique and elegance that made her stand out”.
During her career, she has been photographed by celebrities such as Mario Testino and modeled for Dolce & Gabbana, as well as campaigns for brands such as Nivea, Gap and Primark.
She worked even in the nineties
Daphne once said of her unexpected success: “You don’t have to be so young, you can be any age these days. I’m still working at 90, so why not? If you have the experience and the know-how, you can do anything.”
The grey icon has become a symbol of what the media has dubbed the “greynaissance” – a movement celebrating older women in fashion.
In 2015, Daphne Selfe founded the Academy to share her industry experience with women of all ages, teaching them professionalism, positive thinking and a healthy lifestyle.
In her later years, while living in a nursing home, Daphne continued to maintain a close relationship with her three children and four grandchildren, and also appeared at major events including the Royal Variety Performance.
