A retired woman said she had lived her whole life with low self-esteem but now strangers have approached her on the street asking to take their picture and she has been seen walking down a catwalk.
Irish actress Anne Flanagan had never modelled before and always considered herself a straight-laced person.
But after a chance meeting with a photographer in Belfast in January, she found she had more confidence – and a desire to have a little fun.
“I saw someone with a camera coming towards me,” said the 70-year-old, who is always happy to show tourists the way.
Christopher Ward didn’t need to know directions. He told her he ran the Instagram page “Model Strangers” and wanted to photograph her. After showing her the account, she agreed, and the post quickly went viral.
Anne was thrilled with people commenting that they were encouraged by the photo, and soon people started recognising her on the street.
“I was stopped in a coffee shop and a woman asked, ‘Are you Anne?
“It makes them happy to see older people being given a voice.”
SWNS reported that she was “quickly recruited by modeling agencies, clothing brands and shopping centre fashion shows.”
“It makes me feel good to have my picture taken,” Ann says, “and if I can represent older women, I’m very happy.”
The mother-of-two has spent her life working as a career counsellor, social security officer and corporate services director, so in retirement her daughters said she should do something a little more enjoyable.
After seeing her photos, a local boutique signed Anne up as a model in April.
“On the day of the shoot, I felt unwell and unprepared,” she said. But she was able to be herself and “had a lot of fun.”
“That was my first foray into this strange world.”
She will also be modelling in the Park and Stride fashion show at Victoria Square this autumn.
Ann says what she likes most about her “new career” is proving to herself that life doesn’t end at 70.
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“When you turn 70 it’s not the end,” she says.
“I was really happy with the number of older people who stopped me and talked to me.
“They say, ‘It’s great to see someone our age who is so visible and getting noticed.’
“I think it’s great that older women are getting such good press.”
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