Proud to be grey!
How finally letting her hair go grey opened up an international modelling career for Rachel Peru
To her shock, at 13, Rachel Peru found the first grey hair on her dark brunette head, little realising more would quickly follow. As they appeared, thick and fast, she then spent the next 30 or so years using hair dye in a constant battle to cover up her telltale roots.
“Fortunately it was the Eighties when it started and colour mousses were available – I tried every colour in the rainbow,” says Rachel, who at 48 is enjoying a successful new career as a globetrotting professional model, recently featuring in a TV campaign for JD Williams.
However, had she not decided four years ago to give in to the grey, her career might never have happened.
Rachel, a former nursery nurse from Ilkley, North Yorkshire, who’s married to Mark (53) and has three children from a previous marriage, says: “I just woke up one morning and thought ‘I don’t want to colour it any more’.”
After getting the approval of her hairdresser, she turned to Facebook to seek the opinions of her female friends. To her surprise, all but one said she shouldn’t go natural.
“None of it was meant maliciously but the comments were all ‘don’t do it yet, you’re too young’. They all had the stereotypical idea of grey hair being for old ladies.”
Nevertheless, Rachel went ahead, admitting: “If anything, the negativity made me more determined to do it. Once I have made my mind up I can be quite stubborn.” Her short pixie cut meant the dark colour – with a bit of help from hair bleach – grew out quite quickly and Rachel hasn’t looked back since.
“I think it’s helped me; it’s part of my selling point as a mid-life, curvy and silver lady,” says Rachel who then proudly grew her grey locks and was signed by top London model agency Bridge Models last February.
Around the time she went grey, Rachel was embracing life with more confidence than she’d ever had. After divorcing at 40, she gained a degree while working as a nursery nurse and began running her own internet vintage clothing business. In her spare time she was modelling for charity fashion shows and she’d even faced her fear of heights full on by doing two charity skydives.
“Hitting 40 was a really big turning point and I became more open-minded about everything. I hated my 30s. I loved being a mum, but I was at home and not really fulfilled. I can remember thinking: ‘Is this it?”
For most of her life Rachel had struggled with confidence issues.
“I was really shy and quite anxious when I was young,” she admits. Despite a burning ambition to go to drama school, she chickened out after her A-Levels and took jobs in cafés and retail. Her large 34G bust also made her self-conscious about her body.
But, with a string of achievements behind her, Rachel, who at 5ft 7in and a size 14-16 did not fit the conventional criteria for modelling, decided to go for a career in an industry she knew nothing about.
“Going grey was quite liberating and I had lumps and bumps and cellulite just like most women my age. But people had always said I was photogenic and complimented me on my big smile. I was comfortable in front of a camera and happier with myself than I’d ever been. I thought, why not go for it? Now is the right time for me.”
After sending off photographs of herself to around 20 modelling agencies with, “no expectations” she soon found work as diversity in fashion improved and opportunities opened up.
Within a year Rachel was modelling swimwear in the Bahamas with the famously curvy American model Ashley Graham. She’s done shoots with Davina McCall and assignments for well-known brands at home and abroad.
Even as a model, Rachel has a pretty relaxed approach to her
‘For the first time in my life I can say “this is me” and I’m not going to change’
diet, exercise and beauty regime. In January, you won’t catch her at the gym or giving up her favourite Cadbury’s chocolate.
“I don’t go to the gym but I do walk the dog regularly and I love swimming, but I might only do that twice a month. I eat healthily but I don’t deny myself anything. I eat carbs and my downfall is chocolate!”
As she approaches 50, Rachel has no worries about it affecting the new career she’s grown to love.
“There is a demand for my age group which I hope will continue to grow and I am excited about the future. I’m not worried about the number at all. For the first time in my life I can say ‘ this is me’ and I’m not going to change.
“Part of my driving force is to prove there’s no wrong shape, size, age or hair colour to be. It’s OK to be who you are and be happy. I am not frightened of getting older. I don’t think age is any barrier.”