It is a simple matter of demographics really. There is this unprededented generation of consumers who are collectively called "the baby boomers," and their eldest ranks are now reaching retirement age.

 

It is getting harder and harder for these fifty-something customers to connect with the smooth skin and wrinkleless faces that have traditionally been utilized to sell everything from clothing to cosmetics.

 

Progressive companies such as Dolce & Gabbana appreciate that boomers are likely to embrace role models from their own ranks - fit and well-preserved icons of the "50s are the new 30s" mindset.  That is why you are starting to see more models such as 53-year-old Cindy Joseph.

 

A former make-up model, Joseph has all the features of a classic beauty - albeit with a trademark mane of graying hair.  No matter! The Ford Modeling Agency saw fit to sign her to an exclusive contract about 25 years after the fact.  She is now what you might call a "senior supermodel," promoting the likes of Dolce and Gabbana, Verizon, Nordstrom and Lincoln Navigators.

 

According to CNN, Joseph makes upwards toward $25,000 per day to represent her fellow  pentagenerians.

 

I applaud the embrace of this new tandem of age and beauty. It isn't so much about clinging to youth and fighting off the aging process as embracing and accepting it. With the advent of face-lifts and Grecian Formula, many may have forgotten the old addage about "aging gracefully." 

 

Cindy Joseph's rise on Madison Avenue sends a reaffirming signal to women in their 40s, 50s and 60s that their physical beauty is still appreciated, and that is a vitally important message in a culture where a woman's self esteem and self worth have for so long been disproportionately linked to their looks.