She needs no introduction to those who are in the know -- she's a legend in the world of fashion. And she's still a knockout at the age of 82! I have to be honest -- I didn't know the extent of Carmen Dell'Orefice's history until I had the chance to work with her.
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She needs no introduction to those who are in the know -- she's a legend in the world of fashion. And she's still a knockout at the age of 82! I have to be honest -- I didn't know the extent of Carmen Dell'Orefice's history until I had the chance to work with her recently on a Terry Richardson shoot. After the shoot, I was fortunate enough to spend some time with her and began to discover more of her backstory. What I have learned about Carmen since then makes me feel privileged and humbled to have met her.

Carmen started her career at a very young age, having been discovered by the great photographer Richard Avedon. She went on to dominate the modeling world and has worked with most of the top fashion talent in the world, including Irving Penn. She was also Salvador Dali's muse! I wish a museum would curate an exhibit in her honor because she is a living fashion legend!

Eager to learn even more about her, I, in collaboration with the filmmaker Joshua Paul Johnson, recently sat down with Carmen in an interview at the new, fashionable Hotel Americano in Chelsea. We talked at length about her life and her perspectives on fashion, as well as her new projects. Among the many things I took from our interview is the importance of celebrating the beauty of age and experience. Society today focuses too much importance on youthful beauty and model-shaped figures. We shouldn't be afraid to embrace the things that come with age. Here is an excerpt from our interview -- please enjoy!

Earlier on HuffPost:

Vogue 1947

Carmen Dell'Orefice

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