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China is getting old fast and Beijing is faced with the monumental challenge of how to provide for tens of millions of retirees. But this has also opened opportunities for those who are financially comfortable in their dotage and able to harness the commercial possibilities of technology.
READ MORE | WATCH: 5 fashion items that embody the grandma chic trend
Improving with age, China's "Fashion Grandmas" are hitting the runway and grabbing attention on social media.
"I think the elderly should also live the way they want, and be optimistic. Don't keep thinking about how old you are. Our Fashion Grandma group has a slogan: Age is just a number," says Sang Xiuzhu who is 76 years old.
READ MORE | Hip pensioners who model forgotten laundry clothes featured in Vogue, GQ and Marie Claire
The pandemic has pushed senior residents closer to technology and social media. Types of content like the Fashion Grandmas now reach millions of fans.
Ruan Yaqing, at 58 years old says, "I didn't expect to be an influencer at the very beginning. I never thought about it, I just felt that I was old and that my family would get tired of me nagging and staying at home all day. And here's a channel for me to speak for the elderly. That's how I started, and unexpectedly everyone says I'm an influencer now."
Other popular elderly fashion icons include 88-year-old Sheng Ruiling, who has been a model since she was 70
And 83-year-old Grandpa Kang whose style attracted a lot of attention on social media through his short videos
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