Prue Leith may be best known for her sharp critiques on The Great British Bake Off and her statement glasses, but here at GH we think her signature silver hair deserves just as much of the spotlight.
It’s not just us who are in awe of her multidimensional silver curls. Her look taps into the striking grey hair trend that’s been coined ‘graphite silver’ by celebrity hairstylist and creative director at John Frieda Mayfair Zoe Irwin.
‘It’s all about turning grey into a statement and creating contrast,’ she says. ‘You can see this beautifully with Prue Leith. By adding tonal depth — what I call a ‘midnight grey’ alongside deeper charcoal shades, you give the grey strength and dimension.’
She explains that the key to mastering graphite silver, like Prue, lies in choosing intentional, contrasting shades to bring depth, dimension and definition to grey hair. ‘It’s a way of making grey feel more dynamic,’ she says. ‘By placing contrasting tones, such as velvet ash, carbon grey and jet smoke, you instantly bring strength and modernity to grey hair.’
It’s this use of contrast that makes the style especially flattering — particularly for brunettes transitioning to grey. ‘Brunettes, like Prue, naturally have depth. When you move too quickly into very silvery tones, the result can feel washed out,’ Zoe explains. ‘One of the most common mistakes with grey blending is losing that strength. The hair can quickly become flat and lack impact.’
But graphite silver isn’t just about selecting the right tones. As Zoe explains, the contrasting shades can also be strategically placed to create flattering contouring and brightening effects. ‘Contour is key, especially in your 50s and 60s’, she says. ‘I often see a lot of deep contouring in the nape hairline which helps to maintain structure.’ She adds, ‘It not only enhances the haircut but also works beautifully with the skin as it evolves, it can even help to brighten the complexion and make the eyes stand out.’
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‘Sometimes, when too much silver is added to brunette hair, it can fall into a murky, dull tone, whereas with this technique, it keeps it striking, head-turning, and confident’.
And all it takes is one glance at Prue to see how this rings true.
