Lauren Hutton covers the December issue of The Violet Files, and the shoot is marvelous. Lauren says the theme was “New York’s old-school elite,” and you can see the whole set here. Lauren is 70 years old, y’all. She’s just as fabulous as always. I’m not sure if she’s had any work done, but she admits that she hasn’t ever worn sunscreen. Really? That’s a dangerous statement to make in a fashion mag or anywhere. I refer you back to Hugh Jackman’s skin cancer ordeal. Skipping sunscreen isn’t worth the risk!
Anjelica Huston performed this interview with so-so results. It felt like two old pals enjoying a cuppa together and tossing each other compliments, which is fine. Just not terribly scandalous or interesting. There are a few tidbits we’re discussing.
Her modelling method: “I like to work to music. One time, I remember Dick Avedon playing ‘Mustang Sally’ about 20 times in a row so I could dance to it. A lot of times, I would just be coming back from some great story, somewhere in Africa or the Amazon or someplace where I had really rich emotional adventures, and I would look in the camera and think about them and relive them. And you’d see that all across my face.”
Has the industry changed? “Absolutely. It’s almost unrecognizable. I don’t see how young kids do it because there are all these people on the set, and you’ve got to really unzip your mental fly and expose yourself in front of a bunch of strangers. It’s very anti-intimacy, which is what a great picture should be about — a very intimate look into someone’s soul. And with digital [photography], they take like seven or 10 pictures, and then they’re gone. Or they go off to look at a TV set.”
On contemporary fashion shows: “They’re pretty curious. This last time, I was seated next to rapper Nicki Minaj, who was very funny. Something came up and I said, ‘Do you know how old I am?’ And she looked at me and narrowed her eyes and said, ‘Whatever it is, you are 50!'”
Is she a feminist? “I don’t even know what that is anymore … [Angelica says it’s a weird question, like “Do you like having hands?”] I think women have been in the secondary position for 4,000 years, and it’s contra naturam, against nature.”
Her best beauty secret: “I’ve been slathering myself in coconut oil since I was about 22.”
Did she ever wear sunscreen?” I never did. I kept trying to, especially since I spent decades on the equator, and you really should have a hat! But I just couldn’t do it. I think it was because I was always coming from three months of modeling, and when I’d get free, I’d be on a plane the next day and didn’t want to touch anything. I didn’t take makeup, I didn’t take a mirror, and I certainly didn’t take sunscreen.”
Does she regret that?“Yes, sort of. It depends on what kind of light I’m looking at myself in.”
[From The Violet Files]
I’d enjoy seeing Nicki Minaj next to Lauren at a fashion show. It’s always hilarious to see those seating arrangements. Like, there was one show where Morgan Freeman was sitting next to Peaches Geldof. SO bizarre.
As for Lauren’s thoughts on the feminism discussion, it sounds like she belongs to the school of thought where being feminist is a given. It sounds like she’s wryly shading all of the starlets who fear being labeled a feminist because they don’t understand it. There are also those who call themselves feminist simply because they shake their booties. The whole discussion has become so muddled, so it’s fine that Lauren doesn’t talk about feminism at length. Honestly, I’m more bothered by her sunscreen comment.
Photos courtesy of The Violet Files & WENN
She’s always had the greatest smile.
I’m old enough to remember her in her heyday of modelling. She has such an original and unusual beauty, with that gap between her front teeth which she refused outright to correct. Hutton completely went against the norm, and her personality and intelligence always shone through. She drove motorcycles before it was accepted for women to do it, travelled throughout Africa and the wilds of the world in sometimes very rough and perilous conditions, was never afraid of what people would say. A real balls-out, fearless kinda woman that I always admired.
You shouldn’t be bothered by her sunscreen comment. Coconut oil has many uses and sunscreen is one of them. Is it effective? I don’t know ,but she seems to be doing fine.
Yep, so does argan oil and certain types of loose mineral powders. Personally, I don’t wear sunscreen because I loathe the way it feels on my skin and (tin foil hat) don’t want the chemicals on my skin. I do use an awesome product made by Blissoma that’s rich in antioxidants which helps your skin deal with UV exposure, and I always wear a hat. Anyway, I’m 40, live on a mountain in a very sunny climate, and I regularly get carded for alcohol. So, just saying, there’s other ways to protect yourself besides slathering on sunscreen.
You are the sunshine of my life…..yeah, that’s why I’ll always be around.
I find it very effective. I have never gotten any redness/sunburn from sun exposure if I’ve applied coconut oil. There have been Italian studies that found the same benefit to olive oil.
I’ve never worn sunscreen either. I try not to put anything on my skin that I won’t put in my mouth because the skin absorbs everything. I make many of my own lotions and soaps, it got started because I couldn’t stand the smell of the commercially made stuff, before I even found out about all the scary stuff that is in it all.
As for the sun, people in North America don’t get enough vitamin D, and the best source is the sun. Instead, everybody slathers sunscreen all over themselves and their kids at the slightest touch of the sun and that is just as unhealthy as getting a bad burn.
But, the “against nature” comment is defeatist. Lauren was a loose cannon so many years ago, that ANYTHING she says nowadays is REALLY suspect.
I think one has to remember there was an ozone layer back then as well. She was stunning in her day, still is.
She’s heavily lined. I believe it. She also has naturally darker skin. So it’s different than someone fair-skinned never using sunblock.
I remember reading an article about her, that her once long-time partner she lived with for 20 years since she was 20, and I think he managed her or her money, anyway he squandered her 11 million dollar fortune that she said would be worth 30 million if she had just invested it instead of letting him handle everything. She also found out he had always cheated on her telling the women she was gay and he was her beard. The betrayal was massive. She was in her forties and bitter over all of it and then later she had that horrible motorcycle accident. She’s really survived a lot.
I believe her 100 %. Why? Simple. Because I have never ever worn it, and my skin is usually compared to alabaster/porcelain. I am fair-skinned, over 50, and I am practically wrinkle-free.
(I am not boasting here – I am simply making a point.)
It is true, however, that I never sunbathe.
On the other hand, I don’t shun the sun either.
Oh, and I smoke. 🙂
I think genes have a LOT to do with the condition of the skin.
MAYBE my long-term vegetarian (and almost alcohol-free) diet, too.
But genes, I am sure, are the main factor.
This comment seems unnecessarily aggressive, kc.
I too agree that genes have a lot to do with the condition of the skin
@kc: Hollywood stars usually wear loads of makeup for filming/ photo sessions/TV-shows, and they are exposed to heavy studio light at lot of times. Their skin does age faster than average- only they also have the means to hide it. I believe what @Mel says, simply because I, too, never wore sunscreen. I’m a natural blond with fair skin, so I stayed away from sunbathing (which I also find boring). I’m also a vegetarian/mostly vegan, don’t drink alcohol- but I smoke. I’m 54 ,and almost wrinkle-free (only very small lines on the side of the eyes). I started with coconut and other natural oils when I was 25, never used any commercial cremes, or any foundation etc. Genes sure are important, but I wouldn’t underestimate our lifestyle choices, and the environment we live in, in the long run. By the way, I don’t need glasses yet- but I do have a good mirror 🙂
You wouldn’t find a woman like that in Australia, I guarantee it. I’m not saying women don’t tan and whatnot but a lot of it is out of a bottle now which is encouraging. Women of my mother’s generation never wore sunscreen and you can see it on them. Boasting of not wearing it here is seen as really strange, because that can potentially lead to very serious consequences.
I’m sorry you’re having a bad day.
Its hard to tell people’s age nowadays. I have a friend who is 82 and she looks and moves younger than another friend who is 64. The 64 year old could pass for late 70’s.
I didn’t have wrinkles either at 50. I’m 59 now and I have a few. And I’m not obese. There are many factors involved, skin type, hydration and yes, some weight does look better on an older person than trying to stay a size 2.
And as I said above, I don’t use sunscreen.
She is beautiful, obv. But um…one look at her skin and I’m not amazed or anything by her claim of not wearing sunscreen. Her skin definitely looks like it was in the sun, a lot. The evidence is obvious. I mean she’s beautiful, but I’d regret never wearing any!
Looking at the ‘Lucky Brand’ picture, I believe it. She’s lovely, no doubt. But she looks her age. The sun damage is evident on her face and chest.
Yeah I believe her. Her skin isn’t great.
I can believe her. I have never worn sun screen, even though I live in sunny Australia, not quite her age but almost and I have great skin, much better than Laurens based on these shots. Barely a wrinkle and no sun spots, probably my Scottish genes and because I never go in the sun more than 15mins at a time and wear hats or use a parasol if I have to be out longer (rarely). I can’t stand the sticky greasy muck , its also full of noxious chemicals that clog your pores.