Supermodel Cindy Crawford, turning 50, denies plans to retire

NEW YORK (REUTERS) - Supermodel Cindy Crawford on Monday (Feb 1) denied reports that she planned to retire from modeling this month, saying she had made no final statements and that her "retirement" was a running joke in her family.

Crawford appeared to suggest in an interview with United Airlines magazine Hemispheres last week that she would quit modeling when she turns 50 on Feb 20.

But on Monday she wrote on her Instagram page that "not all headlines tell the whole story".

"Every year, I tell my kids I'm retiring. It's a running joke in our family. And yet every year, opportunities pop up that really excite me. While it's true that I'm eager to shift my focus a bit to concentrate on my businesses, friends and family - I'm not making any final statements," Crawford wrote.

"I have loved being part of the fashion industry for the past 30 years - and if that time has taught me anything, it's this: never say never," she added.

Crawford became one of the first and best-known supermodels in the 1980s and 1990s, appearing on runways for the likes of Chanel, Christian Dior and Valentino.

She stepped back from full-time modeling some 15 years ago, but is currently the face of French fashion house Balmain's spring/summer 2016 fashion campaign along with fellow veteran supermodels Naomi Campbell and Claudia Schiffer.

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