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In the bustling world of hairdressing, where creativity meets expertise, emerges a young and extraordinary talent whose unique perspective transforms her art into something truly remarkable. Meet D’Arcy White, a passionate hairdressing apprentice from Jack & the Wolfe whose journey is not just defined by her exceptional creativity, but by the extraordinary lens through which she navigates life. Living a life experiencing autism, D’Arcy has turned what some may perceive as a challenge into her very own superpower, infusing innovation and a fresh outlook into an industry that thrives on individuality. Here's D’Arcy’s story…

Hi D’Arcy, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I am a 20-year-old newly qualified hairdressing apprentice that works at Jack & the Wolfe, which is a salon based in Lymington. I was diagnosed with autism when I was aged 11. I always knew that I was a little bit different, and since my parents had worked with autistic children before, they picked up on a few signs in my behaviours from early on. At school, I struggled to pick up on social cues, so it was a relief to finally get the official diagnosis after a long time of being tested, and I am proud to share my story.

And we’re happy to hear it! So, how did you get into hairdressing?

I knew that I wanted to be a hairdresser from the age of five. I really enjoyed going to the salon with my mum when I was a little girl. I remember watching stylists work on the clients and thinking: Wow, it must be such a great feeling to do someone’s hair and make them feel amazing. And since I have always loved doing nice things for others, I knew it would be the perfect industry for me to go into. Plus, I was really excited by the creative element of hairdressing and this idea of transformation through hair styling.

That is incredible! How did you become an apprentice at Jack & the Wolfe?

I joined Jack & the Wolfe two years ago after studying beauty therapy in college. At the time, I was debating whether I should go into hairdressing or not because I was really struggling with my social cues and hairdressing is such an intimate client experience. That’s why I chose to study beauty first to try and build up my confidence. Then, my brother was model scouted in Lymington by Jack Mead, who mentioned to Jack that I was really interested in getting into hairdressing but was holding back because of my autism. Next thing I knew, Jack and Lydia were keen to meet me for an interview and then said they would love to hire me as an apprentice. Since then, it has been such an amazing journey and being at Jack & the Wolfe has been such a wonderful experience. Jack and Lydia Wolfe—his wife & salon co-owner—have been so great and patient with me, as well as supportive when it comes to helping me improve my communications skills. The opportunities that I have had since being at Jack & the Wolfe have been truly incredible and I feel so much more confident since I joined the team.

What inspires your work, creatively?

One thing that really inspires me is how forward-thinking Jack and Lydia are, and how they incorporate a lot of fashion and runway into their work. They are really inspired by luxury designers, which is something that I am really into also. I am really fuelled by this idea of thinking outside of the box and being bold when it comes to creative hairstyling. The hairdresser that I want to be is someone that does amazing salon work but who can equally inspire others with my creativity and forward thinking.

How have Jack and Lydia supported you as a hairdresser?

What I love most about the training that I have received at Jack & the Wolfe is their unique approach to hair education. Jack and Lydia teach using the see-do method, which is when you are taught a technique and then given a chance to practice in the moment. I really like this style of learning as each step is broken up into bitesize lessons and it is very visual, which has helped me so much. Jack and Lydia have also helped me build up my confidence, and if I am struggling with how to speak to clients, Lydia has helped me by coming up with scripts to guide these conversations so that I feel confident and sound professional. I would advise other salon owners to also make themselves available to autistic individuals in this way. It took me about a year to come out of my shell and thanks to Jack and Lydia, I was able to thrive in a salon environment.

What has been your hairdressing highlight in your career so far?

I have been so fortunate to be given the chance to enter my work into creative competitions while working at Jack & the Wolfe. I was lucky enough to win gold in the UK for New Talent Colourist of the Year at the Global Creative Awards, which is part of the Kao Salon Division, and then went on to compete internationally in the United States. I was lucky enough to go to Chicago to compete there (live!) and I was so inspired by all the creativity that was around me. Thanks to Lydia, I felt well-prepared, as we did a lot of pre-show work on the day-of. I felt so happy to be onstage and I gave it my all.

Congratulations! You have previously described autism as being your superpower. Can you tell us more?

I always say that Autism is my superpower because I always find that when I’m speaking to people who aren’t autistic or neurodivergent, I like to have their perspective on things, and I think people with autism have a different perspective on everything—like our mindset is different. I find my autistic superpower to be quite special, as I often think outside the box and like to try things that haven’t been done before, creatively, so I use it to my advantage.

Should there be more awareness about autism in the hairdressing industry?

Absolutely! I think there is room for people to learn more about autism and I think it is the right time for the industry to welcome autistic individuals with open arms. The industry should especially work to welcome those who are worried about what people will think of them or struggle with social skills because they are autistic so that they [feel more supported by] the industry.

What are your future goals when it comes to hairdressing?

My long-term goal is to work in the television & film industry as a stylist or backstage hairdresser at fashion events. I recently completed a course of session styling and learnt a lot about backstage hair, and it has inspired me to take on this challenge next. But equally, I really enjoy creating great work in the salon, especially since the team around me are so supportive. So, ideally, I would love to balance my time between the two and create amazing looks [in both areas].