7 Shocking Facts About Maye Musk: The 77-Year-Old Supermodel Who Is Still Dominating The Runway

Contents

Maye Musk is not merely the mother of a tech mogul; she is a trailblazing supermodel, a registered dietitian, and a best-selling author whose career spans over five decades. As of the end of 2025, the 77-year-old icon continues to define what it means to be a working model, regularly gracing international runways and major fashion campaigns, proving that age is truly just a number in the world of high fashion.

Her recent return to the New York Fashion Week (NYFW) runway to close a show for designer Juzui, alongside her continuous work as a CoverGirl representative, highlights her status as a global icon of resilience and style. This article dives deep into the remarkable life of Maye Musk, exploring her dual-career path and her powerful advocacy against ageism in the industry.

Maye Musk: Complete Biography and Profile

Maye Musk’s life is a testament to perseverance, having navigated a challenging early life, a difficult marriage, and a career path that required constant reinvention. Her story, detailed in her best-selling memoir, is one of adventure, beauty, and success achieved through meticulous planning and unwavering determination.

  • Full Name: Maye Haldeman
  • Born: April 19, 1948
  • Place of Birth: Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
  • Nationality: Canadian, South African, American
  • Modeling Career Span: Over 50 years (starting at age 15)
  • Education: Bachelor of Science in Dietetics (University of Pretoria, South Africa); Master of Science in Dietetics (University of the Orange Free State, South Africa); Master of Science in Nutritional Science (University of Toronto, Canada). She is a registered dietitian.
  • Children: Three—Elon Musk (Tech Entrepreneur), Kimbal Musk (Chef/Restaurateur), and Tosca Musk (Filmmaker).
  • Book: A Woman Makes a Plan: Advice for a Lifetime of Adventure, Beauty, and Success (2019).
  • Current Status: Active fashion model, motivational speaker, and author.

Her early years were spent in Pretoria, South Africa, where her family moved when she was a child. Despite the challenges of raising three children as a single mother while simultaneously running her own nutrition practice and modeling part-time, she successfully built two highly demanding careers.

The 50-Year Runway: Maye Musk's Unstoppable Modeling Career

Maye Musk’s modeling journey is unlike any other in the industry. Starting in her teens, she has consistently worked through every decade of her life, a feat virtually unheard of for models. Her distinctive silver hair and elegant presence have made her a late-career sensation, earning her the nickname "Silver Cover Girl" and transforming her into a powerful symbol of mature beauty.

Her breakthrough moments came later in life, proving that the fashion industry, while often youth-obsessed, is finally making space for authenticity and experience. Her most notable campaigns and covers include:

Major Campaigns and Brand Partnerships

  • CoverGirl: At 69, Maye Musk was named a CoverGirl brand ambassador, becoming one of the oldest faces to represent the global beauty giant. This partnership solidified her role in challenging traditional beauty standards.
  • Revlon, Special K, and Colgate: Early in her career, she secured campaigns for major household names, showcasing her versatility across fashion and commercial modeling.
  • Virgin America: She was featured in a high-profile campaign for the airline, further broadening her commercial appeal.
  • New York Fashion Week (NYFW): She remains a consistent presence on the runway, most recently closing the show for designer Juzui, demonstrating her continued relevance in high fashion.

Iconic Magazine Covers

Maye Musk has graced the covers of some of the world's most prestigious publications, a rare accomplishment for any model, let alone one who began her career in the 1960s and is still active today. These covers are not just fashion statements; they are powerful political statements against ageism.

  • Vogue: Appearing on multiple international editions, including the Korean and Italian covers.
  • Time Magazine: She was featured on the health issue cover, linking her modeling career with her professional expertise as a dietitian.
  • Elle, Marie Claire, and InStyle: She has appeared on the covers of various international editions, including those in Canada, South Africa, and the United States.
  • Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue: At 74, she became the oldest woman to ever cover the iconic magazine, cementing her status as a cultural phenomenon.

Shattering Ageism: From Dietitian to Silver Supermodel

What makes Maye Musk’s story so compelling is her successful navigation of two highly demanding, yet seemingly disparate, careers: fashion model and registered dietitian. She holds two master's degrees in diet and nutrition, a feat she accomplished while working and raising her children, including the now-famous trio: Elon, Kimbal, and Tosca Musk.

Her work as a dietitian—a career focused on health, science, and long-term planning—perfectly complements her modeling career, which is often associated with transient, superficial beauty. This duality gives her a unique platform to speak on holistic wellness, which she often promotes through motivational speaking engagements and her best-selling memoir.

The Power of "A Woman Makes a Plan"

Her book, A Woman Makes a Plan: Advice for a Lifetime of Adventure, Beauty, and Success, offers practical, no-nonsense advice drawn from her own life experiences. It details the struggles of her early life, including an abusive marriage to Errol Musk, and the financial hardship she faced as a single mother. The book’s core message is about resilience and the importance of planning for the future, regardless of current circumstances.

The memoir touches on various aspects of her life, including her move from South Africa to Canada and her strategic decision to embrace her natural silver hair, which proved to be a pivotal moment in her late-career modeling resurgence. This choice transformed her from a conventional model to a figurehead for the anti-ageism movement.

A Global Voice Against Ageism

Maye Musk is a vocal advocate against ageism, particularly in the fashion and beauty industries. Her continued success on the runway and in major campaigns serves as a powerful, visible statement that beauty and value do not diminish with age. She actively steers conversations toward the importance of experience, wisdom, and confidence.

Her work has opened doors for other mature models and has shifted the perception of older women in media. By appearing on the covers of youth-focused magazines like Elle and Vogue, she has forced a re-evaluation of who the target audience for high fashion truly is. Her unique blend of academic authority (as a nutritionist) and cultural influence (as a model) makes her message about aging gracefully and powerfully resonate globally. She is often cited as an inspiring figure who proves that career reinvention is possible at any stage of life.

Maye Musk's incredible journey—from a young model in South Africa to a registered dietitian with two master's degrees, and finally to a global "Silver Supermodel" and best-selling author—is a masterclass in determination. At 77, she is not slowing down, instead using her platform to champion age diversity and inspire women worldwide to pursue their own "adventure, beauty, and success." Her ongoing projects, from the latest fashion campaigns to her motivational speaking, ensure her legacy is one of unstoppable resilience and timeless elegance.

maye musk fashion model
maye musk fashion model

Detail Author:

  • Name : Christ Borer
  • Username : shayna.boyle
  • Email : batz.hosea@hotmail.com
  • Birthdate : 2004-07-02
  • Address : 402 Williamson Radial North Derekland, MD 97960-5110
  • Phone : (605) 435-4577
  • Company : Ledner-Mosciski
  • Job : Tree Trimmer
  • Bio : Reiciendis perferendis harum voluptatem corrupti quis et quidem in. Distinctio voluptas eos dolore unde eos sed.

Socials

twitter:

  • url : https://twitter.com/brandi7168
  • username : brandi7168
  • bio : Rerum voluptatem eveniet impedit architecto sequi quam alias quo. Placeat molestiae iusto id assumenda dicta. Rem et et harum magni doloribus enim.
  • followers : 1429
  • following : 1319

instagram:

  • url : https://instagram.com/brandi_id
  • username : brandi_id
  • bio : Asperiores necessitatibus vel repudiandae beatae. Qui voluptate deleniti qui quia modi beatae vero.
  • followers : 4859
  • following : 2214

tiktok:

  • url : https://tiktok.com/@brandiorn
  • username : brandiorn
  • bio : Aut odio et beatae dolor dicta natus. Nam ut repudiandae at ut blanditiis.
  • followers : 3363
  • following : 1775

linkedin:

facebook: