Britain’s oldest supermodel Daphne Selfe dead at 97: Fashion world pays tribute to ‘legend’ who defied ageism and inspired ‘greynaissance’
Her family announced that England’s oldest supermodel, Daphne Selfe, passed away at the age of 97.
The groundbreaking model, who became a household name after restarting her career at the age of 70 and later starred in a Dolce & Gabbana campaign and British Vogue, died on Saturday.
Chantal Murray, her manager at Models 1, told the Daily Mail: ‘This is so sad. It was absolutely incredible. It was great fun working with him and very inspiring. “He was also a very kind person.”
To announce her death, which appeared to be due to natural causes, Daphne’s family shared a post on Instagram on Monday, dated ‘1.07.1928 – 21.03.2026’, with a photo of a pink magnolia flower in front of a blue sky.
Tributes poured in from across the fashion industry; Among them is model Erin O’Connor, 48, who wrote: ‘An amazing woman and fashion icon x.’
Photographer and model Alistair Guy added: ‘She was my greatest friend and inspiration, I will miss you so much wonderful Daphne. Please rest in peace.’
Another photographer, Julia Fullerton-Batten, commented: ‘I’m so sorry… I photographed Daphne for my Mothers and Daughters project.’
Britain’s oldest supermodel Daphne Selfe passed away at the age of 97, her family announced
Daphne’s family shared a post on Instagram on Monday, dated ‘1.07.1928 – 21.03.2026’, containing a photo of pink magnolia flowers in front of a blue sky, to announce her death, apparently of natural causes.
Born in Edmonton, north London, Daphne’s remarkable seventy-year career began when, after working in the fashion department of John Lewis, she won a modeling competition for the cover of a local Reading magazine in the late 1940s.
But it was her remarkable renaissance late in her career that cemented her status as a fashion icon.
After marrying Jim Smith, who worked in theater and television production, she left modeling and raised her three children (Mark, 70, Claire, 66, and Rose, 65) in Hertfordshire, where she lived for the rest of her life.
Following the death of her husband Jim, who suffered several strokes, in 1997, Daphne restarted her career at the age of 70, when the Red or Dead brand offered her for London Fashion Week in 1998.
She later thought the timing was ‘accidental’ as she could never travel abroad while caring for her husband.
‘It was pretty well timed, I did the shoot right after my husband died and I could never have done that while he was alive,’ she said at the time.
‘I was looking after him because he was having various strokes and I needed to do something for him. I couldn’t go abroad before, which of course requires modeling, and that was very exciting because I’d never really been abroad. I’d been to the Isle of Wight and that was it.’
After walking the runway for Red or Dead, Vogue magazine invited her to be part of an article on aging by Nick Knight, in which a scout from Model 1 said they wanted Daphne in their book.
He remained with the prestigious agency for more than 20 years.
Her manager, Chantal, previously described Daphne as having ‘an incredible spirit and energy that is completely captivating’, adding that she ‘has an incredible bone structure and presence that makes her stand out’.
Daphne was registered with the prestigious agency Models 1 for more than 20 years
The silver-haired icon has become a symbol of what the media has dubbed ‘grey nasence’, a movement celebrating older women in fashion.
In her career, she has been photographed by Mario Testino and modeled for Dolce & Gabbana, as well as appearing in campaigns for Nivea, Gap and Primark.
She was outspoken about beauty standards and once said: ‘A big smile is better than Botox.’
In her career, she has been photographed by Mario Testino and modeled for Dolce & Gabbana, as well as appearing in campaigns for Nivea, Gap and Primark.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, she was named the world’s oldest professional model.
Speaking of her unexpected success, Daphne once said: ‘You don’t have to be that young, you can be whatever age you are now. I still manage to get to 90, why not? If you have experience and knowledge, you can do anything.’
The silver-haired icon has become a symbol of what the media has dubbed ‘grey nasence’, a movement celebrating older women in fashion.
She founded Daphne Selfe Academy in 2015 to benefit women of all ages from her industry experience and to teach professionalism, positive thinking and healthy living.
Known for her boundless energy and dedication to fitness, Daphne has practiced yoga since the age of 20 and has continued to practice ballet and pilates throughout her life.
‘Taking care of your health is the most important thing because modeling is a tough job if you do it right,’ she advised. ‘You need long hours, a lot of hanging out, a lot of physical activity, and a good work ethic as well.’
She was equally outspoken about beauty standards, once saying: ‘I’m not retiring’ and ‘A big smile is better than Botox.’
When she started to turn gray naturally, she thought: ‘I can’t understand why so many women whose hair has lost its color have to dye it.
‘Greying is nature’s way of complementing aged skin. It was an extraordinary relief to no longer be stuck in the past, but to embrace my natural state.’
On getting older, he said: ‘Everyone has to remember that they have the potential to start something again or start doing something different. It’s never too late. People can do all kinds of things.’
In later years, Daphne continued to appear at high-profile events, including the Royal Variety Performance, as well as maintaining close relationships with her three children and four grandchildren while living in a care home.
