Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Daphne Selfe, Trailblazing British Model and Guinness Record Holder, Dies at 97

Her late-career resurgence turned gray hair into a calling card for age-inclusive fashion.

Overview

  • Her family and Models 1 confirmed her death in Instagram posts, and her daughter told The New York Times she died in a residential care home.
  • Guinness World Records recognized Selfe in 2023 as the world’s oldest professional female model.
  • Her seven-decade career began after a 1940s modeling contest win, paused for family life, then surged in her 70s with London Fashion Week and a Models 1 contract.
  • Her relatives said her final assignment came in June 2025 at a Vogue luncheon during Royal Ascot Ladies Day.
  • Peers shared tributes as coverage noted her mentoring through the Daphne Selfe Academy and her 2015 memoir, underscoring her influence on older talent.