Meet Darci Gordon | Founder/ Tinsley Palmer Braids

We had the good fortune of connecting with Darci Gordon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Darci, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
We hope to change the world one braid at a time with our brand. We help spread the message of disability awareness & to our customers. We like to feature models with real disabilities. We also give back 5% of each purchase toward a charity so we can help the community in a meaningful way. Our goal is really to change how the world views people with disabilities and help them to be more inclusive.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I started off as a stylist in salon. I went on to own my own salon only to have to sell it. Once the doors closed I knew I had to do something, so I became a corporate beauty educator for big names. I took a break from educating when I became pregnant with my second child. Once my children got a little older I started doing freelance styling for shoots on the side to still have something as mine. It was really when covid hit and all the woman I knew were so desperate to have something make their hair look decent while salons were closed. I did the only thing I was smart enough to do and made braids. I took my experience in a salon with moms not knowing how to braid their children or own hair coupled with wanting to create something for my daughter that allowed her to style her hair more easily and Tinsley Palmer Braids was born. Our braids are created from silk and are the most luxurious fiber available on the market. We have a story to tell and we can’t wait to see how people change the world in our braids.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If I could whisk away a few friends for weekend we would stay at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood. It’s so iconic and rich in history. We would spend the afternoon lounging by the hotel pool ordering açaí bowls. There is something always to been seen at the hotel either a premier, filming! The hotel always makes for good people watching. We would head over to Craig’s in West Hollywood for dinner. The food is amazing. And make sure to get the chicken parmesan. Lots of Paparazzi always waiting outside for a glimpse of someone famous entering the restaurant. The next morning we would brunch at Chateau Maramount nestled on sunset blvd. After we would ride one of those open air tour buses for a celebrity home tour. Cheesey but so fun. We would go for a hike around Griffith observatory only to end with shopping on Rodeo!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Tinsley Palmer was developed by a myself a beauty expert and mom of 4 when I was inspired by my daughter’s Cerebral Palsy. I wanted to develop a product that allowed everyone to be able to style their hair, regardless of barriers like limited mobility or styling expertise. At first it was something I did for my daughter as fun. I posted on Facebook and so many friends and moms wanted to purchase. I was shocked. I discovered this wasn’t really a hobby anymore and I may have something here. It took months of development finding the right fibers and color combinations for us to sell to the public. Once I was ready to launch a website Black Print Photography really helped create the content and vibe for that. They took my vision and really followed the aesthetic for our brand. also have amazing cheerleaders and boss babes that inspire me like Weslie Woodley Photography. Who push me out of my comfort Zone.

Website: www.tinsleypalmerbraids.com

Instagram: @tinsleypalmerbraids

Image Credits
Black Print Photography Gretchen Easton