Aug. 12, 2026

“Now I feel like I’m in an age where I can just be myself”: Jan de Villeneuve on embracing her authentic self and what it takes to be a model

BY EE72

PHOTOGRPAHY ALEC MAXWELL

Spend 72 seconds with model Jan de Villeneuve as she reveals the secret to her on-camera confidence.

Jan De Villeneuve started her six-decade-long career as a model in the 60s, gracing the cover of Vogue and posing for acclaimed fashion photographers Norman Parkinson and David Bailey. In 2017, she returned to the runway for cult Dublin designer Simone Rocha’s London Fashion Week show. The moment stirred up internet virality and marked a new chapter for the American model, who has since walked for Osman and Richard Quinn. At the age of 82, Jan is embracing her authentic self like never before, and that confidence permeates every shoot and runway she dominates. For the spring issue of 72 magazine, we spent 72 seconds at a Pilates class with de Villeneuve, who let us in on her tips for becoming a model and the power of self-acceptance.

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