Local StoriesSeptember 14, 2022

Conversations with Manon Crespi

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Manon Crespi.

Hi Manon, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My philosophy was that the merry-go-round of work-life/career is always turning. While at 26 years old I was jumping off of it for a season to be a stay-at-home mother of four children, it would always be there waiting for me when I was ready to jump back on. Thankfully, my husband was on board with my desire to be home with our kids!

At 40 years old, when our youngest was a 3rd grader, I knew it was time to hop back on the merry-go-round. I’d painted every wall in our house, re-upholstered furniture, sewn curtains, etc., and I was done! I would still volunteer at school, of course, and take the kids to their activities and go to their games, but I needed to get back out there in the work world! I briefly modeled while pursuing my under graduate degree in Broadcast Production at ASU, and had worked for a non-profit product company before getting married. I decided to reach out to a local modeling/commercial agency in Denver to see if I could get work doing commercials.To my complete amazement, they asked if I would consider modeling. I reminded them that I was 40 and that models’ careers ended in their 20s from what I’d remembered. They assured me that times were changing, and that they were! A few years later one of the agents encouraged me to embrace my natural silver hair, assuring me that I would get more jobs playing an older,” youthful-looking” woman. I was already over doing the root touch-ups every few days to keep my dyed hair black, and now I had a legitimate excuse to transition my dyed hair to it’s natural salt and pepper state.One and half years later, all the silver was in and I got new pictures taken to submit to agencies in larger markets. I landed an agency in NYC that later placed me with international agencies. I’m so grateful for the many exciting opportunities I’ve had since then, and marvel at the fact that my modeling career started at 40 and continues today!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The greatest challenge by farmer me was enduring the hair transition process. It was at a time when no was doing it and there were no products to help move the process along quicker. Today you can go in at 7:00AM and leave at 6:00PM with silver hair! I had to do it the only way I knew how and that was just let it grow. It’s amazing how much of our identity is wrapped in our hair. I felt physically unattractive with the half black, half salt & pepper hair, and even more so when I chopped my hair to my chin just so the color wasn’t so wacky. I really had to lean into and draw upon my true identity: the only beauty that endures, the beauty of my character, my person, my heart.

Another challenge for most models today, especially, those my age, is the fact that most of the rules have changed.While in the past a client would hire a photographer, stylist, makeup artist and model , they now hire a social media influencer. Brands are seeking partnerships more and more with Instagram influencers who create the content rather than the more traditional ways of advertising. The influencer wears all of the hats. She is the model, the photographer for the model and for the product, the editor, the makeup artist, the hair stylist, the clothing stylist, and the location scout!

I started an Instagram account a few years ago and was told by my agent that I need to have at least 3K followers on IG in order to have my account on the agency website. I thought, “How in the world am I going to get 3K followers?!” I was determined to reach that number, so I decided to post one image every single day at 9:00AM. I just kept it up, all the while being as authentic as I knew how to be, until one day I reached it! My following continued to grow as I continued to do my daily posts, and today I’m honored and humbled to say that there are now 86.5K followers.I can’t put my finger on why people follow my account. It could be my hair journey – lots of women ditched the dye, especially during Covid. It could also be my approach to aging. I don’t want to look like I did in my 20s – I just want to look my best at my 57 years of age! I’m committed to working out and eating healthy, because you just never know what life has for you around the corner. Every day is a gift, and I want to live it to its fullest.I’m sure this mindset speaks a lot to my passion for luxury as well, which is something that is woven through my IG feed. I remember going to the Vatican in Rome for the first time and seeing huge, beautiful tapestries. I couldn’t get over the fact that some of them took the craftsman entire lifetime to complete. I think this is where my passion for luxury was born. I see it more as a philosophy than an actual thing. I appreciate the integrity of intention in design in all of its forms: jewelry, clothing, skincare products, a beautiful resort and spa, the way a song is written, etc. Most of all, I love the story behind the “thing.” All of it fascinates me, and I believe that all of it should be celebrated: the inspiriation, the skills, the experience, the intelligence and the excellence of the creators of beautiful things.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?

I’m a classic silver-hair model, luxury content producer and Instagram influencer. My work as a model and influencer spans several countries and many types of clients like Matrix hair care, Amika hair care, Estee Lauder, La Mer, Natura Bisse, Herbivore, Ritz Carlton, Target, etc.

Approximately 70% of the followers are women ages 35 – 65, a highly coveted demographic of household and self purchasers. Beauty brands like Peter Thomas Roth, Estee Lauder, and La Mer were the first to reach out to me to collaborate. Today, the majority of my work is creating impactful content for like-minded brands who value a healthy and beautiful pro-age lifestyle.

Contact Info:

Website: manoncrespi.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manon_crespi/

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