Petra Van Bremen, the 62-year-old influencer who is a benchmark of style: "If you accept age, it will show in your appearance"

There is a maxim, a declaration of principles that Petra Van Bremen always carries forward: “The most important thing is that we remain visible at any age” . Beyond the role of anti-age influencer -a term with which several have pigeonholed her but she does not share- the visibility to which this 62-year-old woman refers has not only to do with uploading photos to Instagram, but with a fact more concept: Be present in life situations.

From Hamburg, Petra will remark this to Infobae: "Being satisfied is accept your age.

Born in Germany, the daughter of a Dutch father and a German mother, Petra is today a benchmark in the networks where she sets trends. Her story knows marches and countermarches. She grew up in the Netherlands, at the age of 17 she began her career as a catwalk model, while continuing her studies. . As time went by, Petra stopped modeling and decided to pursue a career in Human Resources.

"I gave up modeling because at that time you could only be a model if you were younger ," says this woman who, at 26, began to explore other paths away from the catwalks. At 46, she moved to Hamburg, Germany, to live "with the love of her life," as she describes on her website to her husband, who appears several times on her feed. her Instagram.

When she had already given up her career in the Netherlands, it was precisely her husband who encouraged her to fulfill that dream, to be a model again. One day, Petra just went and signed up at her old modeling agency.

It was two years later, at 48, when she formally returned. “I saw some signs of diversity beginning to show in advertising campaigns back then. I started by finding an agency to represent me,” she says.

Petra became firmly established in Europe and started working for magazines and various advertisers. After being discovered by Patty Sicular in Berlin, she signed an exclusive contract at IconicFocus Models in New York. Now, she already thinks of broadening her horizon beyond Europe.

The influencer firmly believes in her natural self and she accepts aging not as part of a calamity, but of a real advantage. “I look forward to many new experiences and adventures, challenging the limits along the way”, she says uneasily.

-What is the secret to believe in that "natural self" and accept the passage of time?

I think it all has to do with the right mindset. You have to accept your age. If you feel good about your age and accept it, it will show in your appearance. We all know that our bodies change over the years and it is better to be prepared for this. All women go through the same aging process. It's up to you how it will affect you. It is essential to age gracefully, to stay fit and healthy, because body and mind go hand in hand.

It's never too late

Since 2011, the model has participated in monthly beauty workshops, as a volunteer and ambassador, for the organization DKMS-LIFE -Look Good Feel Better-. She also conducts aesthetic seminars for women diagnosed with cancer.

Away from what is thought of as a life full of sacrifices and diets, Petra has what is usually called a normal life. She gets up every day at 7 AM to walk her dog, a black Labrador named Kobe. Afterward, she does some exercise for half an hour while her husband prepares breakfast. “In the middle of the morning I go up to my office to read and answer my emails and make phone calls,” says this woman who is currently promoting her new book.

She closely follows the rest of the day to her social media posts, from where she sets trends with street style. Petra's gateway is the street. There she is, full of colors, going down a cord or climbing a ladder. Petra is on the move, an issue that she reflects on what to do at home. “I still have to take the dog out again and it's raining here in Hamburg” , she says playfully before continuing with the talk.

-Do you think that the ideal of beauty is changing over time?

-Yes of course. It is changing all the time. For example, she thinks of the plump women Rubens painted or the actress and supermodel Twiggy. But I really don't think there is an ideal of beauty. I see beauty in every woman . It doesn't matter what size they wear or how old they are.

-What things do you feel you know more about now at 62 than when you started modeling at 17?

-I know I still have the same drive to pursue my career as a model. Suppose I get turned down for a job, now I know it has nothing to do with Petra as a person, it is a decision against Petra Van Bremen as a model. As a child, you often think that she has something to do with you and that you are not good enough. But at this age, I can put it in the proper perspective and handle it better.

-What are the garments and colors that are not lacking in your dressing room?

-I'm a big believer in mixing and matching . I mix high-end fashion brands with trendy clothes from chain stores like Zara, H&M and Mango. I always try to be authentic in my appearance and I dress for myself, not how others think I should dress because of my age. My clothes vary from the classic little black dress, to jeans with thick red boots. I use many colors , I don't have a favorite one. However, since my hair turned grey, I don't wear brown colors anymore.

-“Women have no expiration date”, says the motto of her book. What advice do you give to women who have already passed 50 years?

- I advise women to embrace and internalize their age. Don't compare yourself to a younger woman. Never give up your dreams, don't let age be an obstacle! To remain visible at all stages of our life and not be afraid to let our natural hair color grow out, I want to say: gray hair is sexy!

-You have many followers on social networks. Do you feel like an anti-aging influencer?

-I'm an influencer, but not an anti-aging influencer. I don't approve of the term anti-aging. Getting old has an image problem. Everyone wants to live a long life, but no one wants to get old. I want to grow old and enjoy my time from 60 to 90 years old.

-In Argentina there is a lot of design both in fashion and in architecture -Do you know or have you seen something?

-Unfortunately I have never been to Argentina, I don't know its culture. Now you made me curious. But I am very proud of our Dutch queen Máxima, who is from Argentina , and she dresses very well!

-What are the new trends in street style fashion?

-Streetstyle is a perfect source of inspiration to create or optimize your look. A checkered double breasted blazer, high heeled boots above the knees, neon colored hoodies under the blazers and midi skirts. Chunky boots and puddles aren't new, but they're still a trend.

-Has it happened to you that some clothing brand did not choose you recently because of your age?

-In general, clothing brands remain cautious about reserving models with more experience. Every once in a while, you see them at a fashion show or campaign. It's still sporadic, and if they book bigger models, it's more for publicity than recognition that we're an asset to their performance or campaign . We still have a long way to go to convince the fashion industry that true role models should uplift and inspire women, and that we have no expiration date.

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