Maggie Smith is many things: an Academy Award-winning actress, a dame, a devoted philanthropist, a mother, a grandmother … and now, a fashion model.
The Harry Potter star, 88, is the new face of Loewe’s recently released campaign that highlights the brand’s spring/summer 2024 precollection. Loewe’s Creative Director, Jonathan Anderson, posted a series of photos on Instagram on Tuesday, October 24, featuring Smith posing against a brick wall.
In the first shot, Smith can be seen sitting on a pink, red, black and blue zig zag print sofa dressed in a white and black dress. She clutches a burgundy colored Loewe purse and shows off a chunky gold ring. Her short gray hair is swept glamorously to the side as she stares seriously into the camera.
The next photo features Smith standing in front of the same brick wall, this time bearing a sweet smile, wrapped up in a fabulously huge two-toned fur coat and holding a forest green Loewe purse. In the last image, Smith is smiling again, this time dressed in a beautiful navy blue long sleeve silk dress and holding a light brown Loewe leather tote bag.
The best part? In every single image, Smith seems to be makeup free.
Fans and celebrities alike flocked to the comments. Schitt’s Creek star Dan Levy commented, “Are you kidding me” while The White Lotus actor Murray Bartlett wrote, “This is so epic. LOVE😍”
The campaign was shot by German fashion photographer Juergen Teller. Teller is no stranger to photographing fashion campaigns featuring unexpected icons.
After seeing the images of Smith’s latest ad campaign with Loewe, we can’t help but be reminded of the equally iconic photoshoot that Teller shot of the late Joan Didion for Céline in 2015.
Didion, who was 80 at the time, posed for cameras in a pair of oversized sunglasses, an accessory which she was rarely seen without over the course of her decades-long career as a novelist, essayist and reporter.
Smith and Didion’s ad campaigns evoke similar feelings. There is something so thrilling about seeing a beloved and seasoned artist unexpectedly appear in a high fashion ad campaign. It signals that the brand cares about and pays attention to culture; it serves as a tribute to the artist and her accomplishments; and it reminds us all that talent and hard work are two things that truly never go out of style.
