[size=11]BEAUTY HAS NO AGE LIMIT: Irene Sinclair found fame as a model for Dove at the age of 96[/size]
IRENE SINCLAIR, known to her friends as Renee, is an animated, vivacious woman, whose youthful spirit defies her 106 years.
Born in Guyana, she taught history in her country before arriving in Hornsey, north London in 1957 to help bring up her daughter’s young children.
But it was in 2005, at the age of 96, that Sinclair found stardom, when she was chosen by soap brand Dove to take part in one of their advertising campaigns.
The campaign was designed to challenge the stereotypical ideas of women’s beauty and so, Dove decided to enlist an older woman to be part of the promotion. When the director arrived at Sinclair’s sheltered accommodation looking for a suitable woman aged between 70 and 80, the 96-year-old was confused when she was asked if her mother was in the flat.
One thing led to another and soon, a new model was born. But this particular model was not your average catwalk queen. She was a great grandmother who was suddenly thrust into the limelight; proving that you’re never too old to find fame.
Sinclair was whisked to the studio of top fashion photographer Rankin and soon after, her smiling face gazed from billboards, magazines, buses and tube walls across the UK, Europe and America.
She has been the subject of countless magazine and newspaper features throughout the world and has been featured on 30-metre high adverts in Times Square, Wall Street and on an external wall of Milan Cathedral.
In addition, Sinclair, accompanied by a Dove representative, was flown first class to the States – and booked into in the $500 per night Lee Parker Meridien Hotel in Manhattan – for a four-day stint of photoshoots and television and radio interviews.
Almost 10 years on, Sinclair remains both astonished and grateful for her sudden celebrity status.
“I never felt beautiful in my life but that moment certainly made me feel awesome and beautiful,” Sinclair recalled. “I was only offered £1,000 to do the photoshoot and after I agreed, I found out that I had to travel to America. I told the Dove representative that I would not travel but she said I had to as I signed the agreement and she flew over to explain what would be expected of me.
“I was adamant that I would not travel until after my birthday which was looming and they changed the dates to suit my needs. I took so many photographs that I was wondering what they would they do with them. But when they finally chose the one that I later saw on the billboards, I was so pleased. It was all so exciting and I never regretted taking part in something which was life changing.”
Shortly after Sinclair returned to London, she was contacted by an assistant of Oprah Winfrey and asked to appear on the meda mogul’s hit talk show.
Exhausted by the campaign’s hectic schedule, Sinclair declined the offer.
Totally flabbergasted, the assistant told the mature model that nobody turns down Oprah. “Tell her I am indisposed at the moment,” Sinclair replied.
Life has since slowed down just a tad for Sinclair. But she still gets out and about, making her way to the post office, going to church, popping into the supermarket and going to collect her pension.
Celebrating her thirst for life, Sinclair will be honoured at the inspirational event, Awesome You. Being held in honour of International Women’s Month (March), the event will see Sinclair being presented with a gift of thanks by Hackney Councillor, Susan Jumoke Fajana-Thomas, in recognition of her tenacity to keep on inspiring at a good old age, and the fact that she remains active in her community.
It’s a fitting accolade, as Sinclair believes in the power of inspiring others.
“It is important to share your journey as it will encourage others to take up challenges which they may feel they are not up to,” she says. “Age is just a number and if you live well, keep fit and always remain positive, then living is a natural way of life.
“I grew up eating good food, which was cooked from scratch every day. We walked a lot and as we did not have TV, we listened to the radio and read a lot.
“I believe the [Dove] campaign has shown other women, old and young, that we can do anything that we want to do. Never say never!”
Awesome You will take place at Holiday Inn, Bloomsbury, London WC1 on March 29. For more information visit www.womenonthecrossroads.moonfruit.com