To celebrate London Fashion Week 2025, Online Care Finder Lottie has partnered with four inspiring care home residents, who together average 90 years old and share a connection to fashion; proving that age and dementia are no barriers to creativity, confidence, and self-expression.
During a glamorous day, residents arrived at Eagles Mount Care Home in Poole (operated by Luxury Care) in a black cab, where they were welcomed with a red carpet entrance. Each resident enjoyed a pamper session, complete with manicures and hairstyling in the home’s beauty salon, before styling their own outfits and stepping in front of the camera.
With an average age of 90, Luxury Care’s residents have watched fashion trends come and go over the years and have lots of advice to share with younger generations – especially when it comes to feeling confident.
“Never judge fashion choices; it is up to the person who wears the clothes,” shared 93-year-old Shirley Cousins, a former fashion lecturer and life-long style enthusiast, who wore her beloved pearls throughout the day. While Yvonne Ryder (86-year-old) wore her favourite blouse and “loved chatting about how fashion has changed over the years”.
Here are the timeless fashion rules to boost your confidence according to Luxury Care’s resident ‘fashionistas’:
93-year-old Shirley Cousins, a former fashion lecturer and lifelong style enthusiast, whose love for fashion began when she studied sewing and tailoring after the war. She has always worn her custom-designed outfits, including her wedding dress inspired by Vogue patterns.
As a fashion lecturer, Shirley passed on her knowledge to younger generations and was known for “making sewing look easy”.
Reminiscing, Shirley shared, “fashion mattered very much to me.” She has always favoured graceful dresses over trends like miniskirts. Shirley shared that it’s important to “never judge fashion choices; it is up to the person who wears the clothes.”
Former dancer Peggy Howe (96-year-old, pictured top) knows the true meaning of what feeling good in an outfit can do for your confidence, and shared that the fashion shoot was “a fun experience”.
Peggy favours outfits like dresses and miniskirts that allow for freedom of movement because they are better for dancing.
Reflecting on fashion trends over the decades, Peggy admires the timeless appeal of dresses but was “never a fan of heavy makeup”. Her fashion styles were influenced by 1930s Hollywood films, and she was particularly fond of films with Tyrone Powers.
Fellow resident Yvonne Caldwell (88-year-old, pictured) was also a keen dancer, and proudly shared “I was a ballroom dancer, and I made dresses for the other dancers to make a bit of extra money.”
When Yvonne wasn’t dancing, she worked in a popular fashion house, staying on top of the latest trends and fashion brands.
Yvonne Ryder (86-years-old) shares the importance of inclusivity in fashion, “I’m 6ft and have always struggled to find clothes that fit me. My favourite fashion trend was when it was cool to wear long flared trousers.”
Yvonne has enjoyed seeing fashion trends change throughout the years and “loves all the bright colours and jumpers” you can now find in modern fashion. She shares that it’s important to dress for yourself and “not what everyone else is wearing.”
Hannah Karim, Lead Care Expert at Lottie, who organised the activity for the residents, shares the power of reminiscence therapy for those living with dementia:
“The residents at Eagles Mount Care Home are a true example of proving that age is no barrier to enjoying fashion and expressing yourself.
Through reminiscing with a glamorous photoshoot, our campaign aims to spark the joy brought when looking back on fond memories for those living with dementia while also challenging misconceptions about ageing and life in a care home.
We’re so pleased to have brought London Fashion Week 2025, one of the most anticipated weeks of the year in the fashion industry, to the ladies at Eagles Mount Care Home. Reminiscing is such a powerful tool to support those living with dementia, and it’s clear to see the joy this activity brought to everyone involved.
Over the last 12 months, we’ve seen a 200% surge in demand for dementia care, especially for adults aged 75 and above¹. That’s why our activity to bring London Fashion Week to care home residents is a great way to raise awareness of the power of reminiscence therapy for those living with dementia.”
Alison Williams, Wellbeing Lead at Eagles Mount Care Home, shares: “Each day, we see the positive impact reminiscing has for our residents living with dementia, as it allows them to spark memories of joy from their younger years. That’s why we’ve loved partnering with Lottie to host our very own photoshoot and bring this year’s London Fashion Week to our fashion-savvy residents.
It was even better that we worked with four of Luxury Care’s care homes across Bournemouth and Poole, bringing residents together for this special experience. The photoshoot itself was hosted at Eagles Mount, where the residents instantly struck up new friendships through their shared love of fashion.
There was such a buzz around the home in the lead-up to the activity, and our residents truly cherished the opportunity to share their experiences of fashion and step in front of the camera. My highlight was seeing the happiness it brought to everyone involved, and I can’t wait to decorate the home with photos taken on the day.”
1 – Lottie.org Demand for Dementia Care in the UK (January 2024-January 2025)
