DARCI SHAW

‘Orson’ flower print jacket by Huishan Zhang. Saint Germain pleated skirt by CELINE by Hedi Slimane. ‘Viv Rangers’ Mary Janes by Roger Vivier. Cotton socks by Falke.

“If I could dress like a Victorian every day, I would.”

I’ve always found there to be a certain excitement in the timbre of a Scouse accent, so when I spoke to Liverpool’s own Darci Shaw, I felt a heightened awareness of the young actor’s rising stardom. At just 22, Darci already has an enviable resumé. What sort of steep trajectory could one career take when it starts with playing Renée Zellweger’s younger self as Judy Garland in the 2019 film Judy?

Words by Christiana Boules

Photography by Lewis Robinson. Styled by Alton Hetariki. Hair by Sophie Sugarman at LMC Worldwide using GHD. Make-up by India Excell at C/O Management. Photographer assisted by Kate Rosewell and Josh Rea. Darci Shaw appears courtesy of Public Eye Communications.

left: Pressed mesh knitted bra and shirt with flower applique collar, both by KENT&CURWEN. Sequin-daisy denim shorts by Marc Jacobs. Visetos monogram Starfish charm by MCM Worldwide. ‘Viv Rangers’ Mary Janes by Roger Vivier. right: Cotton oxford shirt and shorts with castle embroidery, pressed mesh knitted bra all by KENT&CURWEN. ‘Susanna’ moccasin loafers by Grenson. Cotton socks by Falke.

Since her debut, Darci has been busy adding credits to her name. Her latest offerings — A Thousand Blows (streaming on Disney+) and This City is Ours (BBC) — are both carried by big ensembles and impressive leads. Set in modern-day Liverpool, This City is Ours marks a deviation from Darci’s usual period pieces. I wondered if the pattern was a conscious choice for her. “I think there is a part of me that does really gravitate towards it. The whole concept of how people lived then — I find that fascinating. To make a person who existed in the past relatable is such a great challenge.” What does she attribute this interest to? “I grew up on Downton Abbey,” she starts, before we take a moment to bond in appreciation for the show. “And my family are really interested in history. We didn't do loads of holidays abroad. We’d go to castles or stately homes in the UK because my mum was so interested in history.”

She begins explaining her understanding of why she consistently lands jobs set in a bygone era. “I think because I started in Judy, and that's probably what most people might have seen me in… I’ve also maybe got like an ‘oldie worldie’ face,” she replies, caveating it with an acknowledgement that what constitutes an ‘appropriate’ face for costume productions is thankfully becoming more diverse — something celebrated in the Victorian-era show A Thousand Blows (ATB). “London at that time was such a melting pot of people from all different cultures and places in the world.”

Asymmetric silk belted jacket and trousers By DIOR.

It’s telling that the rest of the research Darci was interested in talking about was not, perhaps, about Alice Diamond herself — the real-life gangster inspiring the eponymous role in A Thousand Blows — but about other tragedies pertaining to Victorian women. She references the Dickensian grimness of the epoch: “You could be at a certain social standing, and then you have a tiny bit of bad luck and you'd be out sleeping in the streets. People assume these women were always that way, but that's not the case… So we're not glamorizing thievery — they were just trying their best to get by. This is what people did to survive.” I hear a real desire for her to venerate the plight of women who, by all accounts of history, fought their way through life. And perhaps that was a wiser approach to take, considering that the real Alice Diamond was a later Edwardian addition to the infamous Forty Elephants — the fantastically named (but very real) gang of women thieves who form the centrepiece of the show.

Consistent with the sartorial thread running through most of her projects, Darci once again dons period costume for ATB. “I literally love it. If I could dress like a Victorian every day, I would. I just think it's one of the most exciting things about being an actor.” But don’t mistake her love of costume for fondness for the corsets underneath. “Oh no, it's horrible. You can't eat — the food just kind of sits, it doesn't really go down. But it does add to your performance… your whole body language is different.” In her everyday style, however, nostalgic dressing provides a different sort of solace. “I feel most comfortable in things that are reminiscent of the past, I'd say… Audrey Hepburn and Jackie O, the sixties classic styles — that’s my favourite.”

on top: Fairisle cardigan and mini skirt by JW Anderson. ‘Arabella’ triple welt boots by Grenson. above: Double breasted U-shaped waistcoat and Saint Germain pleated skirt, ‘Mia’ silk pleated collar with ribbon shirt, all CELINE by Hedi Slimane. ‘Viv Rangers’ Mary Janes by Roger Vivier. Cotton socks by Falke.

History books, vintage styles, and a love of Kate Bush — all this begs the question of the 22-year-old: are we dealing with an old soul here? Breaking through the industry at just 15 to play the young Judy Garland, Darci stepped into adulthood early. “I've always been quite mature and responsible as a person. I do probably identify with someone a bit older than what I am, and I get told that a lot. People are always shocked when I say that I'm 22 just because I love history and like to knit.” I missed the memo on knitting, but it seems to be the thing to do if you’re a bright young thing.

Needless to say, preparing for her role in the latest BBC drama was decidedly less research-intensive than her previous ones. Not only is there no historical or socio-political landscape to get to grips with, but Darci is also a native of the city providing the backdrop for the drama — the ultimate cheat sheet. “It just gave me a really warm, fuzzy feeling to be with people in the city and from the city.” Perhaps a feeling reminiscent of her childhood enthusiasm for spending Saturdays at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. “It was singing, acting and dancing, and as a kid, my whole week used to just be like looking forward to doing that.”

left: Jewel hem draped silk dress by Louis Vuitton. right: Cropped leather jacket and check mini skirt by TOGA

This City is Ours takes Darci back to where it all started, but her career is rapidly evolving. Her role as Alice Diamond emboldened her to become more confident — “she truly believes that she can be whoever she wants to be” — and what a pertinent lesson, especially when she has ambitions yet to be realised. For both her roles in Judy and Midas Man (where she played Cilla Black), the opportunities to play two legendary singers left her just shy of doing the actual singing — and that’s what she’s now set her sights on. “A musical number set in the past would be ideal,” she says. Otherwise, she’s content with the chance to reprise her roles in This City is Ours and A Thousand Blows, the latter already promising a second season. Liverpool does have a habit of nurturing striking talent, after all — so we’d better keep our eyes peeled for what Darci Shaw will do next.

All episodes of A Thousand Blows and This City Is Ours are available to stream now on Disney+ UK and BBC iPlayer. 

Funnel-neck track woven jacket by JW Anderson. Silk blend skirt by Frankie Shop

Cotton oxford shirt and shorts with castle embroidery, pressed mesh knitted bra all by KENT&CURWEN. ‘Susanna’ moccasin loafers by Grenson. Cotton socks by Falke.