One of my early introductions to the power of Black hair as performance art was by watching the 2004 indie film Hair Show, starring Mo'Nique, Taraji P. Henson, Vivica A. Fox, Kellita Smith, and Gina Torres. While the premise of its story was written as a comedy, the film provided a peek behind the curtain at the artistry and storied history of Black hair shows, largely influenced by companies like Bronner Brothers' International, which has been running for over 75 years.
Ahead of the 2025 Met Gala, I finally transitioned my hair show experience from the big screen to real life, courtesy of Echelon Noir Productions's first-ever runway event last Friday evening, Black Hair Reimagined: The New Era of Beauty. The company, founded by celebrity hairstylist Jawara Wauchope and creative director and stylist Jrod Lacks, held a modern-day hair show in New York City's financial district attended by stars like Solange, Cardi B, and Justine Skye.
The buzzy event showcased the works of Wauchope, along with other celebrity stylists, Yusef Williams, Vernon François, Cyndia Harvey, and Malcolm Marquez. Each hair expert's showing was anchored by styling from a fashion professional, including professionals like Carlos Nazario, Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, Patti Wilson, Jan-Michael Quammie, and Jessica Willis. The models' makeup looks were designed by celebrity artists Sir John and Sheika Daly, with nails crafted by celebrity manicurist Dawn Sterling.
"We wanted to bring a modernized version of black hair shows, referencing Bronner Brothers, Hot Irons, and all the incredible black hair shows that we grew up seeing images of, to our world of fashion and beauty," Lacks tells Bazaar. The partners were also in search of a new creative outlet to channel the high level of beauty and fashion experience they had both garnered throughout their careers. "We wanted others in our community and in fashion and beauty to experience what we’ve seen, but through the lens of black creatives at the helm," Lacks continues. "Curating an elevated runway show that felt real to the culture."
Echelon Noir Productions used elements, like a dramatized runway presentation emphasized by a mirrored ceiling, designed by Fai Khadra, the combination of five mini hair shows in one, along with an enthusiastic and responsive crowd, to bring their vision to life. "I think [combining elements of fashion and beauty] was the most interesting part of this year's show, which I've never seen done anywhere else," Wauchope explains. "Pairing hairstylists with stylists to bring you into a whole world, and using hair as the medium. It was great to see the different synergies and the different personalities come out through expression, and coincidentally, all of the teams merged easily," he says. "It's almost divine how that happened."
Black Hair Reimagined was hosted by actress, producer, and beauty founder Tracee Ellis Ross. For the occasion, she wore her signature fluffed and free-flowing curls. Bazaar editor-in-chief Samira Nasr first suggested she emcee the event.
"Samira called me and said, 'I have something that you're going to want to be involved in, I'm going to send it to your publicist,'" she explains. "I said, 'Oh, I want to do that!' and also see if Pattern could get involved. It's sort of a manifestation of all that I love. These are all artists that I admire, look up to, follow, that I use for inspiration, and that I think are extraordinary. And I love that in the midst of the Dandyism theme of this weekend, that this would kick off all of that for these creatives who are so at the forefront of leading who and what we think is beautiful."
To call the collection of sculptural, intricate, and otherworldly hair styles that graced the runway simply creative would be a drastic understatement. Layers of extensions, crocheted textures, braids, high-top fades, and sleek silhouettes personified the vast range of Black beauty culture in a single night. "Black hair is a central part of Black culture. It personifies freedom of expression. Freedom from oppression. It allows us to define our own narratives through our hairstyles," Lacks adds. "Black hair builds community. Connecting with our beauticians and barbers, and other patrons in the salon and barbershops. Black hair is our power."
Wauchope closed out the runway show with his segment, drawing inspiration from hair techniques used in the '80s and '90s and reinterpreting them as couture art pieces for the stage. "I created a world of hair art pieces from structural styles in our past, ones that were deemed ghetto from society, flipping it on its head and celebrating it in the way that it has always needed to," the hairstylist explains of his runway looks. As for some of the product essentials needed to secure sky-high styles? "We used Redken color in Cherry Cola Red for some of the pieces, as well as a variety of Kératase serums and the Kératase Laque Noir hairspray—lots and lots and lots of it."
The production duo aims to make this year's pre-met hair show the first of many, intending to craft Black Hair Reimagined as an ongoing legacy project that helps elevate emerging artists while inspiring future creatives.
