In the late 1970s, a young American model was just starting to become one of the most photographed faces in the country. Her famous swimsuit covers and a music video that would make her a pop-culture icon were still ahead of her. One of her early jobs was a print campaign for a Canadian whisky. Nearly half a century later, that same brand picked up the phone again.
In short
- Christie Brinkley first appeared in Black Velvet Canadian Whisky ads in 1978.
- At 72, she has recreated the campaign, in black velvet, curls and jewels.
- Her message: the industry’s definition of beautiful has finally widened.
From 1978 to 2026: the same brand, a new picture
Christie Brinkley, born in 1954, was discovered in Paris in 1973 and went on to land three consecutive Sports Illustrated Swimsuit covers (1979, 1980 and 1981) and a record 25-year contract with CoverGirl. Along the way, in 1978, she fronted ads for Black Velvet, the Canadian whisky now owned by Heaven Hill.
This month, the brand asked her back. “Getting ready to celebrate the relaunch of my campaign for Black Velvet…50 years after my first ad!” she wrote on Instagram on October 23, sharing behind-the-scenes photos ahead of a launch event in New York. She called the concept “such a good idea” and the shoot “a lot of fun”.
Then and now: what changed in the photo
The new images reimagine the late-1970s shots rather than copying them. In 1978, she wore a top with thin straps, a voluminous blowout, a thick sparkly chain around her neck and large matching earrings. In 2026, she is in black velvet, with a long-sleeved, deep V top, a bouncy blowout with loose curls, a string of jewels, dangling earrings, a bold pink lip and a crystal glass of whisky in hand.
One detail did not make the cut. Brinkley joked that her old updo “sort of looked like a flattened beret or something,” so this one was updated too. Seeing the final pictures for the first time, she said, was “really emotional”.
Why does this campaign feel different?
For Brinkley, the point is not nostalgia. “It’s proof that some things get better with age, whiskey and models,” she said. She credits “the widening of our definition of beautiful” and noted that being told she looked beautiful on a set at 72 would not have happened 50 years ago. Her attitude today is simple: “If they want me, take me as I am.”
She is not alone. Icons who started in the 1970s and 1980s keep proving that a campaign, a look or a routine can outlast trends, from Cher’s white Moncler puffer at 80 to Helen Mirren’s 12-minute routine.
What she says keeps her going
- Humor. She lists it first among the things that help her age well.
- Curiosity. “Maintaining your curiosity for life,” in her words.
- Feeling healthy. She ties how she looks to how she feels.
- Her advice to her younger self: “live it up.”
Her beauty habits have long fascinated readers too: she and Martha Stewart have sworn by the same serum for years.
The limit
The brand has not named the photographer of the new campaign, and it has not said where or how long the ads will run. The images released so far are credited to Black Velvet Whisky, and the comparison above is based on the photos shared publicly.
The bottom line
In 1978, Christie Brinkley was a model in her twenties selling whisky. In 2026, she is a 72-year-old icon selling the same bottle, on her own terms. Some things, as she put it, really do get better with age.
