Anais Gutierrez
CoverGirl sent a statement against ageism by announcing 69-year-old Maye Musk as its newest spokesperson. The brand made the announcement earlier this week in what comes as its latest game-changing move in the fashion industry.
In recent years CoverGirl has really bet on diversity and representation. They included the first boy as CoverGirl, and more recently the first CoverGirl with a hijab.
Breaking the records, and making history
Maye Musk, a 69-year-old model, dietician, and mother to Tesla entrepreneur Elon Musk, is adding another title to her impressive resume: she’s now a CoverGirl!
”Maye Musk is not only a timeless beauty but a visionary who has always followed her own path. Creating new opportunities and paving the way for so many others who might not meet the industry standard of ‘model,’ but are truly beautiful in every regard,” Ukonwa Ojo, the SVP of CoverGirl, said.
“This is exactly what Covergirl is all about. Owning your identity and proudly sharing with the world all the facets that make you, you. Maye is an affirmation of the power and importance of diversity and inclusivity in the world of Beauty.”
“She is unstoppable and, together, we’re just getting started!” Ojo added.
The cosmetics company announced the ground-breaking news on Wednesday, September 27. Musk couldn’t be more thrilled. The 69-year-old model took to social media to share her excitement.
“I’m so excited to say that I’m now officially a CoverGirl! My three kids, ten grandchildren and I have had the hardest time trying to keep it a secret until today’s big announcement,” she said in an Instagram post.
“Who knew, after many years of admiring the gorgeous Covergirl models, that I would be one at 69 years of age? It just shows, never give up. Thank you, Covergirl, for including me in your tribe of diversity.”
Musk is making history as the oldest CoverGirl the brand has ever had. She joins a slew of inspirational women who have recently been named CoverGirls including Ayesha Curry and Issa Rae. Congratulations, Maye!
Who Maye Musk is
Maye has been a model for more than five decades and is signed with IMG Models Worldwide. She has appeared on the covers of magazines like Vogue Korea and Elle Quebec. Maye even starred in beauty campaigns for Clinique and Revlon.
She was also featured in Beyonce’s music video for the song ‘Haunted’ in 2013.
But modeling is only a part of her career: she’s also run a nutrition business for over 45 years and has two master’s degrees.
Musk’s life story reads like a stylish adventure book. She was born Maye Haldeman in Regina, Saskatchewan, in 1948 to explorer parents who had met when her father, a caretaker, came to take lessons with her mother, a ballroom-dancing instructor.
When Musk was nearly 3, the family, including her three siblings, moved to Pretoria, South Africa. She started modeling at 15 and was a finalist in the 1969 Miss South Africa contest.
By 21 she had earned a bachelor’s in dietetics, and she would go on to juggle nutritional clients with fashion shoots.
She married Errol Musk, an engineer, in 1970; had three kids: Tesla‘s owner Elon, Kimbal, and a daughter Tosca; but divorced him nine years later and followed her children as they left apartheid South Africa for careers in North America.
Changing the game for beauty and fashion
The announcement comes as the last move in what seems to be a shift in a more inclusive fashion and beauty industry.
In the past year or so, the beauty company CoverGirl has shown it is determined to corner the market on diversity. Today, months after signing James Charles, its first cover boy, and Nura Afia, its first CoverGirl in a hijab, CoverGirl now adds Maye Musk as its newest ambassador. Breaking the record as the oldest spokesperson for the company.
The news came after recent announcements that CoverGirl would add Issa Rae and Ayesha Curry to its roster. And also, just a week after the brand introduced chef Ayesha Curry as its first non-entertainer spokesmodel, the brand seems dedicated to even further upping its representation power.
But this shift not only includes CoverGirl but the fashion industry in its whole. In the beauty industry at large, there’s been a noticeable shift. Glossier’s Body Hero campaign models brought a variety of body types to billboards, while Fenty’s campaign committed to showing women with skin tones across a huge range.
The last yet-to-be-touched area was ageism, with most models still falling into that 20- to 30-year-old demographic. Now we’re finally starting to see that shift. For example, Susan Sarandon, Jane Fonda, and Helen Mirren are all faces for L’Oréal Paris, while Isabella Rossellini fronts Lancôme.
Musk is in good company, with stars like Jessica Lange and Charlotte Rampling fronting campaigns for Marc Jacobs and NARS, respectively, and last year, Lauren Hutton walked the runway for Bottega Veneta.
Musk herself walked in two shows recently at New York Fashion Week.
Source: Daily Mail
