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How Jerry Hall is making a modelling comeback at 65

Jerry Hall david sims - David Sims for Saint Laurent
Jerry Hall david sims - David Sims for Saint Laurent

Jerry Hall’s last major fashion moment was, arguably, in March 2016 when she married Rupert Murdoch wearing a gauzy turquoise corseted dress by Vivienne Westwood with jewelled silver flats. In her romantic but not overly ‘bridal’ look, she became an instant muse for older brides.

Once one of the world’s biggest supermodels, renowned for her bouncy mane of blonde hair, Texan drawl and statuesque 6ft figure, Hall has been largely off the style scene ever since. Aside from appearances at a handful of events, usually accompanied either by Murdoch or her daughters Lizzy and Georgia May Jagger, she has spent the past few years flying under the radar.

Until now. In the classiest of comebacks, Hall is the star of Saint Laurent’s summer 2022 advertising campaign, unveiled on Friday. So far, four black and white images of the 65-year-old have been released showing her modelling looks from the Parisian label’s latest collection.

Jerry Hall, wearing Vivienne Westwood, on her wedding day to Rupert Murdoch in 2016 - Getty
Jerry Hall, wearing Vivienne Westwood, on her wedding day to Rupert Murdoch in 2016 - Getty

Fittingly, given Hall’s modelling heyday came in the ‘70s and ‘80s, there’s a distinctly retro feel to the images; power shoulders, cat-eye sunglasses and gobstopper earrings all feature in the ultra-glamorous shoot. Proving that age should be no barrier to wearing a miniskirt, Hall sports a thigh-skimming tuxedo jacket in one of the photographs, taken by David Sims and art directed by Saint Laurent creative director Anthony Vaccarello.

Jerry Hall shot by David Sims for Saint Laurent. Art direction by Anthony Vaccarello - SAINT LAURENT
Jerry Hall shot by David Sims for Saint Laurent. Art direction by Anthony Vaccarello - SAINT LAURENT

Whether this marks the beginning of a modelling renaissance for Hall or a one-time return to the spotlight remains to be seen, but it’s certainly a reminder of her role as one of the original glamazon supermodels.

Long before the likes of Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell came along in the ‘90s, Hall and her generation of fellow supermodels - Iman, Patti Hansen and Lauren Hutton among them - redefined what the term meant, negotiating bigger money deals than ever and becoming household names whose rise was scrutinised in the press.

Jerry Hall with Yves Saint Laurent in 1981 - Getty Images
Jerry Hall with Yves Saint Laurent in 1981 - Getty Images

For Hall, her exciting life beyond the magazine shoots and catwalks only fuelled her fame. From her engagement to Bryan Ferry and subsequent marriage to Mick Jagger, she was as likely to be spotted looking incredible en route to Studio 54 as she was posing in the pages of Vogue (by the late ‘70s, she’d already graced 40 magazine covers).

Fittingly, the Saint Laurent comeback is something of a full-circle moment for Hall, who was a favourite of Yves Saint Laurent during his heyday.

Footage shows her walking his catwalks in the ‘70s when he was one of the world’s most famous designers. Photographed beside Saint Laurent at parties, it’s not hard to see why Hall epitomised the kind of woman he designed for, drink and cigarette juggled in one hand, a pile of rings and bangles artfully arranged on the other. She also modelled in the last ever couture collection designed by Yves Saint Laurent in 2002.

Jerry Hall Yves Saint Laurent - Getty
Jerry Hall Yves Saint Laurent - Getty

Today, Vaccarello continues that legacy of high-octane, Paris party girl sophistication but emphasises that age should never be a barrier to looking great and having an amazing time. Amber Valletta (47), Catherine Deneuve (78) and Betty Catroux (76) have all showcased his designs in recent seasons.

Jerry Hall David Sims Saint Laurent - David Sims/Saint Laurent
Jerry Hall David Sims Saint Laurent - David Sims/Saint Laurent

And with the same smouldering energy she had 40 years ago, Hall makes the case for going all-out in your 60s in a campaign which will be as much of a career highlight as the stylised shoots by Richard Avedon and Norman Parkinson which she starred in back then. It’s certainly an entirely different mood to those pretty bridal shots taken nearly six years ago.