70-year-old Irish retiree Anne Flanagan was walking down a busy street in Belfast by city hall in January when a man asked if he could record her. Christopher Ward is a professional photographer who also runs an Instagram account, Model Strangers.
Anne felt awkward but agreed and it changed her life. The post quickly went viral, eventually getting over 40,000,000 views!
Anne was contacted by ACA modeling agency, with whom she has signed a contract and is now training to walk her first runway in the fall. You can see her profile on their site.
A mother of two with a background in career counseling and corporate services, Flanagan admits that she has always suffered from low self-esteem, a feeling many of her fans share. She’s thrilled with her new role and the positive impact it has had on her self-confidence. She enjoys representing older women and proving that there’s no age limit on starting something new and exciting.
"I was someone who used to think life kind of starts to get boring when you get older. But It’s not over when you hit 70! For me this is the most exciting time of my life! I’ve been absolutely overjoyed by the amount of older people who stop me and say things to me. They say it’s ‘great to see someone our age, who’s been spotted for standing out.’