Soon-to-be Israeli centenarian becomes advertising poster woman

She will soon celebrate her 100th birthday, but Luba Fishman has found a new career – as a poster woman for an international cosmetics company.

The Latvian-born, Israel-domiciled great-grandmother was chosen as a new face for Dove Cosmetics’ “real beauty” campaign, with the slogan “Does true beauty have an age limit?” The company says the campaign is designed to avoid “beauty stereotypes.” Luba was born in Latvia in 1912, and moved to pre-state Israel in 1932.

Her unlikely career as a model began when an executive at an advertising agency received a request for help to find a 100-year-old model. The executive immediately thought of her husband’s grandmother, and Luba, when asked, burst out laughing, explaining that she was not at all photogenic. Assured that the photography would be of a high professional standard, Luba gave her assent.

“In the beginning it amused me – to be a model at my old age,” she told the Yediot Ahranot daily. “But really, it was worth waiting until now. I feel like a queen.”