Isabella Rossellini claims actresses are replacing models.

The 62-year-old star - who made a name for herself in the fashion industry aged 28 after making her debut appearance in British Vogue - believes movie stars are being chosen over models in beauty campaigns because consumers have developed a ''celebrity fixation''.

She said ''Models are not doing so many of the campaigns - it's actresses. Now, there is a celebrity fixation.''

Isabella - who worked as a spokesmodel for cosmetics brand Lancôme for 14 years until she was fired for being too old in her 40s - believes labels are happy to use actresses to front their campaigns as their careers last much longer.

She explained: ''And if they are in a successful film when they are 38 or 40, they still get the campaigns.

''It's the celebrity that gives them the longevity. Most models start working less at 30, and then by the time they are 35 it's over completely.''

The brunette beauty added she had been shocked to discover that ageism was ''rampant in fashion'' when she first started out as a model.

She told The Daily Telegraph newspaper: ''In two or three photo-shoots I had the cover of Vogue and my career exploded.

''But I didn't know that ageism was rampant in fashion.

''No one asked me how old I was at the beginning, and when they found out, they were horrified.''