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The Scottish model whose career took off at 60 | The Scottish model whose career took off at 60 |
(about 13 hours later) | |
Gillean McLeod only had her first professional photos taken when she was in her early 50s and her career as a model did not take off until a swimsuit shoot at the age of 60. | Gillean McLeod only had her first professional photos taken when she was in her early 50s and her career as a model did not take off until a swimsuit shoot at the age of 60. |
The photo for an H&M campaign shows Gillean in a simple black swimsuit, wearing no make-up and with her long white hair hanging down naturally. | The photo for an H&M campaign shows Gillean in a simple black swimsuit, wearing no make-up and with her long white hair hanging down naturally. |
When the clothes retailer posted the image on Instagram it quickly went viral, attracting hundreds of thousands of likes. | When the clothes retailer posted the image on Instagram it quickly went viral, attracting hundreds of thousands of likes. |
Since then Gillean's modelling career has taken off, with her heading campaigns for brands such as Boots the chemist, Levi's jeans and Schwarzkopf hair products. | Since then Gillean's modelling career has taken off, with her heading campaigns for brands such as Boots the chemist, Levi's jeans and Schwarzkopf hair products. |
Before she finally stepped in front of the camera, Gillean had worked backstage for years as a stylist. | Before she finally stepped in front of the camera, Gillean had worked backstage for years as a stylist. |
It was a photographer friend who convinced her to let him shoot her first portfolio. | It was a photographer friend who convinced her to let him shoot her first portfolio. |
She quickly attracted interest from modelling agents but, although she landed some work, she was also turned down for lots of jobs. | She quickly attracted interest from modelling agents but, although she landed some work, she was also turned down for lots of jobs. |
It was the swimsuit shoot in 2016 that changed everything, 63-year-old Gillean says. | It was the swimsuit shoot in 2016 that changed everything, 63-year-old Gillean says. |
The Scottish model was born in Indonesia to a Scottish father and an American mother. | The Scottish model was born in Indonesia to a Scottish father and an American mother. |
She grew up in Borneo, flying to Penang in Malaysia for school until she later went to secondary school in Scotland. | She grew up in Borneo, flying to Penang in Malaysia for school until she later went to secondary school in Scotland. |
"I really loved Borneo because I liked where we lived so much," she told BBC Scotland's The Nine. | "I really loved Borneo because I liked where we lived so much," she told BBC Scotland's The Nine. |
"Our house was an experimental fruit plantation of sorts so there was every fruit tree you have ever heard of in our back garden. | "Our house was an experimental fruit plantation of sorts so there was every fruit tree you have ever heard of in our back garden. |
"Then we got to go out on the boats to islands and stuff. It was paradise. We lived surrounded by beauty and lots of friends and no parents." | "Then we got to go out on the boats to islands and stuff. It was paradise. We lived surrounded by beauty and lots of friends and no parents." |
It was also a life lived in the outdoors with plenty of swimming and hiking to keep her healthy, she says. | It was also a life lived in the outdoors with plenty of swimming and hiking to keep her healthy, she says. |
Although she was educated in St Andrews, she returned to Borneo until she was 17 when her parents moved back to Scotland. | Although she was educated in St Andrews, she returned to Borneo until she was 17 when her parents moved back to Scotland. |
Gillean says that when she was young she did not ever consider herself beautiful. | Gillean says that when she was young she did not ever consider herself beautiful. |
"I was so skinny. I was always thought of myself as tall and gawky," she says. | "I was so skinny. I was always thought of myself as tall and gawky," she says. |
"Then by the time I reached an adolescent and was at school in Scotland I had terrible acne for most of my teen years. So that resulted in crippling shyness and being very self-conscious about that." | "Then by the time I reached an adolescent and was at school in Scotland I had terrible acne for most of my teen years. So that resulted in crippling shyness and being very self-conscious about that." |
In her 20s, Gillean moved to London and, although she says she was approached about modelling, her teenage acne had affected her self-esteem and she always said no. | In her 20s, Gillean moved to London and, although she says she was approached about modelling, her teenage acne had affected her self-esteem and she always said no. |
Having lived in Los Angeles for decades, Gillian was finally persuaded to have some professional photos taken. | Having lived in Los Angeles for decades, Gillian was finally persuaded to have some professional photos taken. |
"I wasn't really convinced because I had always been really shy, especially putting my face in front of a camera," she says. "But I did it." | "I wasn't really convinced because I had always been really shy, especially putting my face in front of a camera," she says. "But I did it." |
She says: "I had couple of jobs until I was about 60 and then I did a story in a bathing suit that went viral." | She says: "I had couple of jobs until I was about 60 and then I did a story in a bathing suit that went viral." |
Gillean now has a flourishing career, recently working in Germany, New York and Los Angeles. | |
Her campaign for Oliver People's resulted in a massive billboard in New York's Times Square, which Gillean flew out to see. | Her campaign for Oliver People's resulted in a massive billboard in New York's Times Square, which Gillean flew out to see. |
Gillean warns young girls looking at Instagram and magazine images that they are not real life. | Gillean warns young girls looking at Instagram and magazine images that they are not real life. |
She says they are shot by professionals who use the best lighting and the images are almost always retouched afterwards. | She says they are shot by professionals who use the best lighting and the images are almost always retouched afterwards. |
"You have to believe in yourself and eating healthy really helps a lot too," she says. | "You have to believe in yourself and eating healthy really helps a lot too," she says. |
According to Gillean, there are now more older women being used a models. | According to Gillean, there are now more older women being used a models. |
"I don't think I started it but that H&M campaign made more people aware of how women can look in their 50s and 60s," she says. | "I don't think I started it but that H&M campaign made more people aware of how women can look in their 50s and 60s," she says. |
"I am with an agency in New York where almost everybody is over 60 and they are gorgeous." | "I am with an agency in New York where almost everybody is over 60 and they are gorgeous." |
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