This Grandma opened the cover of the September 23, 2013 New York Magazine and got hit with a picture on the left of a model with the words “Born in 1928” across the center of the picture. The picture on the right is a close up. This is not an airbrushed teenager picture. This is a picture of reality. This is a picture of beauty. The model’s name appears: China Machado, and the caption says “Model & Fashion Editor, b. December 25”
Brilliant! It seems this Grandma is not the only one who thinks this is a brilliant marketing strategy by Cole Haan. A British on line newspaper, www.dailymail.co.uk, had a September 21, 2013 article that described this as brilliant also.
In “All born in 1928! Cole Haan casts Maya Angelou, China Machado, Elliot Erwitt and Captain Jim Lovell in new campaign celebrating 85th anniversary,” the author, Tamara Abraham, says.
To reach the age of 85 in relatively good health is always something to be admired. But to be 85 and starring in a major fashion label’s campaign is nothing short of remarkable. It is also a stroke of genius on the part of Cole Haan to mark its 85th anniversary with a series of images of people also born in 1928. And 1928 was a winning year, it seems. The luxury accessories label shares its birth year with legendary poet and author Dr Maya Angelou, Apollo 13 astronaut Captain Jim Lovell, acclaimed photographer Elliott Erwitt.
The campaign also includes model and fashion editor China Machado who is 84 in December, but, Cole Haan decided, too fabulous not to include in the campaign. ‘They are all vibrant examples of how timelessness and true style are born out of confidence – and that never expires,’ said Cole Haan vice president of marketing Erin Riley in a press release.
Despite being marginally younger than her co-stars, she could not be a more fitting face to lead the campaign. The Shanghai-born, South America-raised beauty shot to fame in the Fifties, and in 1959 became the first non-Caucasian model to appear in a mainstream American publication.
She was a house model for Givenchy and muse to Richard Avedon and continues to make waves in the fashion industry today. ‘Every two weeks or so, it’s “Oh, I gotta go to New York to be photographed,”‘ she told New York Magazine recently.
I think China Machado is my new idol!
And then, look at the shoes! No orthopedic shoes here! Yes, Cole Haan gets this Boomer Grandma!
Joy,
Mema
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