Isabella Rossellini Too Old For Lancôme!

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Isabella Rossellini Lancome adsIsabella Rossellini’s Lancôme contract ended abruptly in 1995. Why? Because Isabella was considered too old to model for Lancôme! At the time, Isabella Rossellini was only 43-years old. This issue drops a serious shadow on Lancôme and its ethics. If 43 is too old, what’s Lancôme’s threshold for using anti-ageing products? 25? (WWD, photo via)

11 comments

#1 TR on 04.21.09 at 6:09 am

Lancome is notorious for ending contracts on a model’s 40th birthday. I think Estee Lauder is the same. They’re all similar. The only models that tend to succeed are those that work for Revlon (Elle McPherson is 44 or 45 and she has just been signed for a 3 year contract).
French companies (L’Oreal -> Lancome) tend to be a little hypocritical I think. One the one hand, the French media adores female legends like Catherine Deneuve, but in the media, they use models who just don’t really have the sophistication they try to sell…like Keira Knightly for Chanel. What the heck?

#2 Adriana on 04.21.09 at 6:50 am

I do remember this so well. And how angry I was at the time and I was not alone….
Like 5 years later I’ve been at a dinner (in Amsterdam) where Isabella was. No, I’ve not talked to her but she has smiled at me and I’ve smiled back. That’s all. My god, that woman was natural beautiful in real life and looks so nice, sweet and laughed a lot!! Yes, with lines, yes older, but so beautiful….that smile…everyone was mesmerized by her. Everyone.

Anyway, it’s almost 15 years later and 25 is really the age to start the fight against ageing! So who cares? This is a silly world where people think that when they look younger they are younger too…I use these creams too….eye-cream, anti-ageing cream, SPF and so on…sighs…oh, don’t forget the firming masks hahaha….

I see everyday L’Oreal commercials with a complete waxed Linda Evangelista (whom I adored in the 90’s), for the 30/40+ I think? Jane Fonda, same thing, for 50/60+ and Andie McDowell does still commercials for L’Oreal???
Now the anti-ageing commercials for males are on too.
Yeah, what the heck what does it matter? The truth shows in our mirrors or how we really feel anyway.

#3 Jill on 04.21.09 at 8:35 am

I’m 41 now…old, I think not!

#4 Arnoldo Valerio on 04.21.09 at 12:49 pm

First Jill you’re not old, it’s how you feel yourself. Everyone is blaming now Lancôme but her demands where over the top, so the brand couldn’t made another decision then to fire her. It was all about money, and that she’s the daughter of Ingrid Bergman an Roberto Rosselini doensn’t matter. After all despite she is/was a beautiful woman she made also mistakes in her live. The most important one was to refuse the contract she got of the Lancôme company. So please don’t blame that brand/company for it. Grazie

#5 Ellington on 04.21.09 at 8:41 pm

I love her as an actor and as a model, she is so lovely.
I do miss her Lancome ads she was rather unforgettable. : )

#6 kpriss on 04.28.09 at 12:00 pm

TR is right, there’s so much hypocrisy when it comes to advertising! We’ve been manipulated for so long that we’re ready to buy the so-called wrinkles-magic-cream-solutions just because airbrushed advertising was used to promote the beauty “secret”.

And another thing – I think French media darlings have to be heavy smokers, party-ers, bohemians, rebels and so on. They just can’t go for a simple beauty. Beauty is decadence for them. (or so I think). TR, do come and correct me if I’m wrong! (and why, oh why is your website gone?)

Adriana, you lucky girl! I imagine just seeing her smile in your very proximity was great! (I think Andie still goes strong for L’Oreal, yes)

Jill, you just reached the mature threshold of your life! You’re in full bloom!

So Valerio you say it was all about the money, hmmm….

Ellington, you’re right, she has such a strong character, it really is hard to forget!

#7 Adriana on 04.28.09 at 12:41 pm

Kpriss, why is this, I ask this as a European that there’s overseas this idea about France, the French population? I think it’s nonsense. See the British media! And what about the Dutch? We are rebellious by nature I believe?

Yes, I was very lucky to be able to enjoy that dinner. Everybody was “in love” with her, male and female.

I’m pretty sure Isabella was dumped because of her age. We were very angry. The young and the older ones. It’s only 15 years ago but at the time 40 was still young, the prime of your life……time has change fast…..
I’d just finished the Douglas Magazine….pfff, all these 20+ year old models, airbrushed, photoshopped and full off promises with all the creams and make-up……up to the recycle paper can with it!!

#8 Rob Schneider rules on 04.11.10 at 6:25 pm

You say “Keira Knightly for Chanel – what the hell?”

I say Lilly Allen for Chanel – what the flamin hell?!

Keira has an elegant, graceful image thanks largely to the film roles she’s had.
Fall-down-drunk Lilly is just a disgrace – what was Karl thinking?

#9 Rob Schneider rules on 04.11.10 at 6:26 pm

My bad – you said ‘what the heck’ not ‘what the hell’

‘tomayto tomato’ !!

#10 Adriana on 04.12.10 at 7:05 am

What was Karl thinking? *Bleep* you, *bleep* you very much?

#11 kari vilkman on 10.02.11 at 5:51 am

reason: too much nudity and adult videos. not too old for Láncome

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