Sold-out York Fashion Week event at Middlethorpe Hall aims to prove grey is gorgeous

SILVER-haired models Annie Stirk and Rachel Peru aim to prove that grey is gorgeous with a sold-out event for York Fashion Week.

The duo at have launched their Silver and Sassy campaign and will host a catwalk show at Middlethorpe Hall hotel, near York, during the week-long fashion festival which starts on March 20.

Model and body confidence activist Rachel Peru and former TV cook-turned-mature-model Annie Stirk have joined forces to show that grey matters.

And they have clearly struck a chord because their #silverandsassy runway event and lunch at Middlethorpe Hall, York, on March 26 is already sold out – making it one of the most popular dates in the Fashion Week programme this year.

Rachel and Annie are proud to speak up for women of a certain age and show that growing old can be done with style and flair – and that you can be glad to be grey.

Rachel, a former nursery schoolteacher, who started her career in modelling at the age of 46, says she is passionate about showing other midlife women that they can be seen and heard in the fashion industry.

Rachel has fully embraced her curvy shape and natural grey hair. She said: “I had dark hair but started going proper grey when I was 14-years-old – my grandmother was 30 when it happened to her.

“I used to dye my hair every colour of the rainbow. I saw women going to the hairdresser every three weeks for a full colour.

“I woke up one morning five years ago, aged 44, and decided enough was enough, and went into modelling two years later. I now post about grey shampoo on my Facebook page.

“While for some women going grey is transformational, for the majority it is the visible representation of an ageing process they are not happy with.

“The menopause may have come and gone or is still in progress, the nest is empty, retirement looms and there may be physical and bodily changes – and suddenly the clothes, colours, ‘the look’ they have previously always enjoyed doesn’t work so well anymore. Silver & Sassy will show them a new way of thinking, without the dyes and the cover ups.”

Annie, who is 70 this year, enjoyed a successful career in TV and radio as a food presenter and stylist before becoming a mature model in her late 60s.

She started going grey from the age of 18 and initially coloured her hair blonde when she was at college. “Later I had my children and went greyer and wasn’t feeling good about myself. At the age of 29 I was a harsh, steely grey, now I am pure white and love it.

“I have seen a forum online with women saying they love their silver look.

“I wanted to shake things up a bit for the women who are finding it hard to transition and to show them they can still be vibrant and express their true selves. It’s about owning your grey hair.

“Our event is about celebrating that with fabulous clothes and jewellery. It’s all about being visible. We find that bold colours are perfect for this. It’s not just a fashion and beauty event – but an opportunity to make older woman who feel invisible, visible and vibrant again. We want our campaign to encourage better representation of grey-haired women of all ages and help them stand up and be counted.”

She added: “Through our campaign, we want to help mature women feel happy to let their grey hair down – and grow out.

“We want this campaign and our fun, empowering event to celebrate grey, silver and white-haired women, and those going grey, and give them the confidence to wear bold, bright colours or get a new haircut cut that better reflects their new look.”

York Fashion Week highlights

A Champagne Reception with Maxwell-Scott

Grand York, March 20, 5pm-8pm

Enjoy a drink with luxury leather company Maxwell-Scott while you browse through the SS20 business collection bags for men and women.

All Saints Fashion Show

The Hilton, March 24, Time: 7pm-8pm

The catwalk will showcase the work of talented students’ final pieces at GCSE and A level.

‘Til Death Us Do Part

Carluccios, March 24, 7-9pm

A Gothic bridal show with an artistic yet elegant theme.

Moving Forward with Fashion

Browns, March 25, 7-9pm

Browns York presents a stylish fashion show in aid of Breast Cancer Care York.

Laura Fawcett x Fenwick: Personal Styling Takeover

Fenwick, March 21, 12-4pm

Book your exclusive one-hour 1:1 personal styling taster session at Fenwick York with guest stylist Laura Fawcett.

Iron & Lace: A History of Corsetry

York Castle Museum, March 23, 2-3pm

Join Assistant Curator of Costume and Textiles Dr Faye Prior for a journey through corset history, beginning with a set of iron stays from the 17th century. and examine historical corsets from the museum’s collections.

To find out more and book tickets visit: yorkfashionweek.co.uk