Deborah's SILVR Story

Johannesburg, South AfricaShared June 16, 2026

My mum had silver hair, although she hated it. I remember her colouring it the moment a sparkle showed through at her hairline. I don’t think either of us could have imagined that one day her silver hair would change the course of my life. I noticed my first silver hairs in my mid-twenties. Like many women, I coloured my hair for years, not necessarily to cover the greys at first, but because it was simply what we did. I experimented with all sorts of colours before eventually settling on blonde highlights. Shortly after I turned 50, I realised I had more silver hairs than blonde ones. Rather than continue the battle, I decided to stop colouring my hair altogether. My hair was short then, too, so the grow-out phase wasn’t difficult. After just a few haircuts, I was completely silver. What happened next surprised me. People began stopping me in the street to comment on my hair. Strangers would start conversations wherever I was, even sometimes asking if they could take my photograph. I found it fascinating. A few friends suggested I try modelling, which seemed completely ridiculous. It wasn’t something I had ever imagined for myself. Then one evening, proof that a grandmother should never be left unsupervised with an internet connection, I sent a few photographs to a local modelling agency. They invited me in for a meeting, signed me, and I started getting work almost immediately. I was 53 at the time, and working in the corporate IT world. Not long afterwards, another friend suggested I start an Instagram account. To my surprise, people from all over the world began following my journey. What started as sharing my silver hair and personal style gradually grew into a community of women embracing ageing in their own way. Having silver hair quite literally changed the course of my life. It opened doors I never knew existed, introduced me to extraordinary people, and gave me the confidence to step into opportunities I might once have dismissed. And perhaps best of all, I love that I carry a little piece of my mum with me every day. Her silver hair lives on in mine.