Carmen Dell’Orefice is an American supermodel, an actress, a muse and an icon — and if you haven’t heard of her yet, now is the time.

 At 85 years young, she continues to prove that beauty is truly ageless.

At the age of 16, Dell’Orefice was on the October 1947 cover of Vogue and has been modeling ever since. As of the spring/summer 2012 season, she is known for being the world’s oldest working model.

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When she was young, Dell’Orefice and her mother struggled financially, and her modeling income was not enough to sustain the family. With no telephone, Vogue had to send runners to their apartment to let Dell’Orefice know about modeling jobs. To save on bus fares, she would roller-skate to assignments.

She and her mother made extra money designing and sewing clothes, since they were also accomplished seamstresses.

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In June 2011, Dell’Orefice celebrated her 80th birthday. The following month, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of the Arts London, in recognition of her contribution to the fashion industry.

Watch the video below, and be sure to check out the living fashion legend’s recent runway highlights. Wait til you hear what she has to say about the definition of beauty!

“I hope I’ve helped women get out of the closet about aging.” — Carmen Dell’Orefice

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