Forever In Fashion
Stylist 24 March 2010

interview: Helen Bownass

At 45, Yasmin Le Bon looks better than most of us do at 25… Here, she models the perennial fashion trend of Utility while talking to Stylist about her incredible life

Yasmin Le Bon is a name that’s long been synonymous with glamour, rock ’n’ roll and catwalk prowess. But can a 45-year-old woman still cut it in the fashion and modelling world? After spending a day with her, Stylist can say a resounding yes.

When we meet Yasmin to celebrate the launch of her second YLB collection for Wallis, she instantly endears herself to everyone. She’s imposingly tall with an envyinducing figure but it’s her face that’s most astonishing.

Despite close inspection by every woman in the room, we can report there’s not a line. Nada. She won’t hear a word of it though. She’s too busy flitting between joking with the photographer and throwing the most incredible shapes in front of the camera. Considered and well spoken, she still cracks everyone up when she launches into a rant about the reliability of Wikipedia. “It says I’m a vegetarian on Wikipedia, so every time I turn up on a photoshoot I’m met with a plate of vegetables. It’s a lie – I’m not vegetarian!”

Born in 1964 in Oxford, Le Bon was born to an Iranian dad and an English mum, a combination she has to thank for the exotic looks that kicked off her modelling career aged 19 when she walked into agency Models 1, despite her ambitions to be a racing driver.

After a couple of years’ hard graft Yasmin soon became one of the world’s highest-earning supermodels. She’s worked for nearly every designer going – from Chanel to Dior, Missoni to Versace and graced over 200 magazine covers, starting with the former teen bible, Just Seventeen in 1984.

Her personal life is just as impressive. Married for 25 years to Duran Duran singer Simon Le Bon, the pair got together when he saw her on a magazine cover and asked her out. Their first daughter, Amber, now 20, was born four years later (Yasmin was infamously back on the catwalk just weeks after giving birth), then came Saffron, 18 and Tallulah, 15.

But Yasmin’s not blasé about her success. From the beginning of our shoot she admits she’s conscious of her age and shape and how that makes her, “difficult to dress”. She spends an hour and a half trying on clothes and even apologises if she’s been a challenge. Definitely not. There’s a reason some models are preceded with the word, ‘super’ – Yasmin is more professional, passionate and dare we say it, photogenic than many models half her age. She’s definitely still got it.

You’re one of the original supermodels, do you still love fashion?
I think there are some fantastic contemporary designers at the moment. Hannah MacGibbon’s doing a fantastic job at Chloé, Phoebe Philo’s new collection at Celine is fantastic, Balenciaga’s great, Giles is brilliant. And I couldn’t go wrong with putting a Christopher Kane dress on. He’s become a modern classic.

What are your wardrobe staples?
Oh I so wish I was one of those girls who had staples. It’s really where I go wrong with shopping. Odd pieces speak to me and for some unknown reason I get them and they have to sit in the closet for five or 10 years before I can make them work. Although I’ll always be obsessed by Manolo Blahnik – I think he’s an incredible artist – so I make sure I go out of my way to have a good time in his shoes.

What’s your favourite thing in your wardrobe at the moment?
I’ve just bought this amazing pair of ancient workman’s jeans from France that the owner must have repatched so many times. I probably shouldn’t be seen wearing them – they are about 10 sizes too big, but I love them.

Do you tend to keep stuff for years?
I try not to be a hoarder. I do go through times when I’ve sold stuff or given it to charity shops, but I don’t like getting rid of things. I pulled something out the other day that I hadn’t worn for 20 years. Luckily it still fits. The whole point in buying clothing is to have a good time in them. I love vintage clothes because I love the idea that somebody else made memories and it’s almost like you feel duty-bound to create memories in the clothes too.

This is your second line for Wallis. Are you happy with the new direction your career’s taking?
I just love the discipline of sitting down and making myself do something. I’ve got so much more to learn. I’m not used to concentrating for long periods of time and I’ve had to learn to deal with compromise and limitations. Getting to work with a team, and be creative – that’s a real dream come true.

You barely look 30, do you feel like you’re 45?
Ah. You’ve walked in when I’ve got fantastic hair and make-up with amazing lighting – you didn’t see me when I got up this morning – it was tragic. I couldn’t look in the mirror.

But you don’t have a line on your face.
Oh I do. I’m just very good at deflecting them so no one notices them.

Is getting older in this industry tough?
It’s strange, growing up catches up with you really quickly. The cliche that, “Before you know it you’re 45 and you wonder where all the time has gone” is so true. You still feel exactly the same inside. We celebrate youth more now than ever before so it’s very difficult to grow up. It’s put me in a precarious position.

Does it bother you that women are congratulated on their success, in spite of their age, instead of just being praised for being successful full stop?
It’s a shame. It doesn’t happen to men. Being judged by appearance is part and parcel of society but I think we have to buck the trend and create a new way of thinking. That’s what I got into designing for in the first place – to break down barriers and change ideas.

You were only 18 when you started modelling, was it a conscious decision to get into that world?
I didn’t go into further education or get a proper job. People had told me I should be a model my whole life, but I didn’t take it seriously until then.

You’ve had an incredibly successful modelling career, what have you loved the most?
I’ve had a really great time. I’ve worked very hard, played hard. Loved it all. We all used to love flying in for Azzedine Alaïa’s shows. He had this mixed gaggle of girls and women and became more and more rebellious; there was so much energy and sparkle to his shows. I loved it.

Are there any moments from your career you’d rather erase?
No. I think the only time I’d change is when I turned up to jobs and was tired and moody. This is a special kind of job, it’s extraordinary, and I feel bad for any times I didn’t live up to that.

Your daughter Amber, 20, is making a name for herself in the modelling industry; do you worry about her entering that world?
I don’t worry about it at all because she has the right personality to deal with it – she’s very comfortable in her own skin, knows how strong you have to be emotionally and she really enjoys what she’s doing.

Does it feel strange to watch her replicate your career?
Yes it does. We’ve done a few jobs together and that is strange. When I was 23 I didn’t ever think I’d even have children, and I never thought I’d still be doing this when they were in their 20s. It’s the weirdest thing. I feel like I’m ready to pass the mantle on.

Do you think either of other daughters follow Amber?
You know what, modelling chooses you, you don’t choose modelling. That’s the bottom line and that’s what everyone has to learn. But all my daughters are very creative and despite me trying to manoeuvre them in different ways, you can’t. It’s understandable because Simon and I are both arty and musical. It’s in their DNA, they can’t really escape it.

Your relationship with Simon is one of showbiz’s few lasting partnerships. What do you think makes it work?
I’ve got no idea. We just like each other and we take every day as it comes. You learn a lot in a long relationship; there are lots of ups and downs, but as long as you grow together, you’re lucky.

How do you cope with getting older as a couple?
We’re going to be hell to cope with. If we make it to grandchildren, they are going to really get hell. I’ve spent so many years being so diplomatic and sweet. It’s payback time. In fact I’ve already started speaking my mind more. But I’m allowed to; I’m in the twilight years of my modelling career.

Do you make it a rule to keep your working lives separate from your relationship?
You can’t separate Simon from what he does. It’s in his head the whole time, and it becomes part of our life. I’m the biggest Duran Duran fan ever. There’s no way I could have married and fallen in love with this man and not fall in love with all his outpourings. Because they’re the outpourings of his soul.

How do you stay secure when your husband’s such an icon for so many women?
You know what it doesn’t matter if he’s the biggest popstar in the world or a dental hygienist: trust is trust. You have to have it. And you go through periods when you don’t have it and periods when you do.

There’s been so much in the papers about female celebrities dealing with unfaithful partners recently, how does that make you feel?
I feel incredibly sorry for them. These are really painful, difficult, human things that everyone goes through in a relationship. Name me somebody that hasn’t gone through this. I just find it upsetting for them.

Do your girls ever ask you for boyfriend advice?
[Laughs] I have a lot to say. I hope I’m not the only mum like that. But it’s because I’m half Persian. We never shut up, so I’ll say what I think whether they want to hear it or not. They are very patient with me. I don’t know how they haven’t murdered me yet.

So how have you kept looking so youthful and amazing for all these years? Are you a gym freak?
Not now. Not at all. I’m taking it easy. But I used to be. I’ve gone through bouts of training and really hurting myself. But now, because I’ve been modelling so long, I’ve taught my muscles a way to be.

Well you must have a strict beauty regime at least?
No. Honestly, the only thing I believe in is changing your products regularly. It’s the same with exercise, when your muscles get used to routine when you’re working out and stop working so efficiently.

So you don’t have one ‘can’t live without it’ product?
Absolutely not. But saying that, I’ve moisturised my whole life.

Your hair has become a bit of trademark, would you ever get it cut?
Yes, I’ve done it before a couple of times. To be honest it’s a miracle I’ve still got it – I say thank you to Charlie at Jo Hansford for that. You know, I think it might be time to go for the chop; it’s only hair after all. I think I need to chop it off just once more.