“It’s about empowering yourself and others, whatever shape, size or age you are,” says 71-year-old Sarah Grant who donned a swimsuit to make her Australian fashion week runway debut on Thursday.

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“It’s great for older women to see a more mature person wearing an outfit because then they can relate to it, and it’s good for business because baby boomers are one of the largest demographics when it comes to buying fashion,” Grant says. 

“Wearing a swimsuit wasn’t a problem for me because 70 is the new 50. We are all healthier and living longer now, and you’ve only got one body so you may as well be proud of it,” added Grant who walked the Aqua Blu show at Carriageworks in Sydney in black scoop-neck one-piece with a breezy floral over shirt, reports Guardian.com.

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Grant may be new to Australian fashion week but she is a veteran of international modelling. Her first catwalk appearance was for Pierre Cardin in New Zealand at the age of 16.

She has also walked for brands like Valentino, Karl Lagerfeld, and Zandra Rhodes at Paris, Milan, and London fashion week.

Grant says the modelling industry has changed immensely since she got her first big break in the 60s.

“There were no hair and makeup artists when I started: we all had to lug around huge bags with our wigs, shoes, and makeup and do our own.”

“We were all just regular sizes – a size 10 or size 12 – so there wasn’t that pressure to be slim. When the super skinny look came in it was really tragic for the business and a lot of girls ended up with issues because of it,” she said.

Grant says she loves walking the runway and suggests young girls to “Just embrace who you are and enjoy it. And go to the bathroom before the show!”