Let’s be real: Black beauty has always been the blueprint. Our hair has and always will be inspirational, political, a flex, and a spiritual act of resistance. And on the Friday before the Blackest Met Gala ever (theme: “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”), the hair show “Black Hair Reimagined” reminded us that our hair—yes, our hair—is the culture and the conversation.
I was perched front row for the electrifying event that was presented by Echelon Noir Productions, which is cofounded by hairstylist extraordinaire Jawara Wauchope and visionary creative director Jarrod Lacks. The immersive runway-meets-salon experience didn’t just make a statement—it made history. It was a master class in collaboration, intention, and unfiltered Black joy. As Jawara told Cosmo, “The fashion shows have become so linear and so sterile. There’s something about Black culture that just makes everyone happy—and we just got that thing.” And that thing was on full display.
Staged in New York City at the members-only space WSA, the show perfectly coincided with Met Gala weekend. “Black Hair Reimagined” brought together the dopest hairstylists in the game with some of the most stylish minds in fashion, each pairing producing its own artistic world.
Plus, the show was MC’d by the one-and-only Tracee Ellis Ross—who is not only an A-list actor but also a beauty boss (her haircare brand Pattern Beauty is a go-to for all the curly girls out there and a repeat Cosmo Holy Grail Beauty Award winner). “I’m here because I love hair and all of the artists that are here tonight to share their magic,” Tracee told the crowd.
Well, the magic started off with Jawara’s own segment, “Nocturnal Opulence,” which opened the show with hairpieces so intricate and so regal, they could’ve sat on pedestals in the Met—but instead, they floated down the runway like royalty. “I wanted to elevate styles the world once called ‘ghetto’ and present them as wearable art,” he said. “Because they are.”
And the artistry didn’t stop there. Celebrity hairstylist Yusef Williams collaborated with the legendary fashion stylist Patti Wilson to bring us “Nostalgic Heat,” a segment bursting with emotion and era-blending flair. Vernon François reminded us that hair is both political and poetic in “Freedom Is Priceless,” styled to perfection by Jan-Michael Quammie. The hair was big, architectural, and emotionally moving. Malcolm Marquez’s “Flowers Only Bloom at Night,” styled by Jessica Willis, delivered a surreal punk-rock vibe. Much like what we’ve seen him do with Cosmo’s current cover star Doechii. The intricate weaving, colorful bust downs, and coat made of hair rocked by model Julez Smith (the son of Solange Knowles, who was also in attendance). Last but certainly not least, hair architect Cyndia Harvey’s dreamy “Neptune Noir,” styled by Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, was a full-on cosmic voyage of texture, shape, and silhouette. There was even a piece that looked like a cape that was so long, it hit the floor.
The biggest glam stars were also on hand to make sure every look slayed. The show was makeup directed by Sir John and Sheika Daley, with the nail design curated by Dawn Sterling.
Fai Khadra’s set design sealed the show’s immersive magic, transforming the venue into a conceptual salon mirror. “There’s a certain confidence that comes over you when you’re sitting in the salon chair, watching your transformation in real time,” Jawara explained. “We wanted the audience to feel like they were in that space with us.”
The vibe was right. The energy was electric. And the mission was clear: to celebrate and uplift Black hair as art, memory, movement, and future. And yes, the show’s timing was strategic. “You can’t talk about tailoring Black style without talking about hair—it’s not possible,” Jawara said, nodding to this year’s “Superfine” Met theme.
What “Black Hair Reimagined” did—boldly and beautifully—was demand that Black hair no longer be an afterthought. It’s the foundation. It’s the feature. And it’s time the world treated it as such.
Keep scrolling because Jawara tells Cosmo about the chaos, creativity, and cultural power behind one of the most soul-stirring shows of the year below.
So break it down for me: What inspired you and Jarrod Lacks to cofound Echelon Noir Productions and launch the “Black Hair Reimagined” show?
The inspiration came up because I was attending a lot of events, getting people ready for these events, and because of the state of the country, I didn’t see myself in a lot of things that were going on. And, of course, it felt like a part of fashion had diverted back to not seeing as much diversity as I would like. So this project is something that I’ve been thinking about for years but particularly this time. I just feel like we needed it the most. And Jarrod felt the same. So we decided to do the Black hair show and really dive into the Black excellence that we witnessed in the past from Bonner Brothers, the Detroit hair shows, and also the hair shows that we’ve seen all over the world in Black culture.
What was it like planning this inaugural event?
Insanity! Because on top of planning it, I was also an artist who displayed my work in it. So it became a little overwhelming. But the one thing I love to do is create with my hands and hair. I recently learned that I also love to do production, curation, and editing.
How did you select the hairstylists and creative collaborators featured in the show?
I went over a lot of different artists and their work. I wanted to curate something super special with the hairstylists who are making a name for themselves in fashion, in art, and in culture, who don’t get enough attention or praise. I wanted to bring those people to the forefront. It was really, really interesting that we were able to get the people that we did because, you know, of course, with the Met Gala and all the other things that are going on. I was very grateful. It wasn’t easy, but we made it happen.
How long did it take to conceptualize and create the hairstyles showcased in your segment of the show? What was your creative process like?
To be very honest with you, I made 20 different pieces for the hair show because I had different concepts. I had created 15 pieces, but I only showed 5. The major inspiration for my section of the show, called “Nocturnal Opulence,” was the hairstyles and hair techniques that I saw when I was a kid. The ones the world deemed “ghetto.” So I wanted to make my section about creating these hairpieces that would be treated like couture pieces that would normally be deemed “ghetto.” And I thought that since they were the most sophisticated hairstyles and the most artistic hairstyles, I wanted to show them in this way that I’ve never gotten to see—super chic and super couture-esque. These hairstyles are wearable art.
The event emphasized the artistry and cultural richness of Black hair. How do you see this show contributing to the broader conversation about Black identity and beauty?
I feel like for us to be able to do this hair show at this level with this type of artistry, pairing hairstyles with the stylist, it’s something I’ve never seen before. I do feel like it’s going to bring a new nuance into the culture that we’ve been missing that we haven’t seen in a long time. So my hopes for it to grow bigger and bigger for us to take it on the road, for us to also integrate school programs because one of the things that we all were talking about while we were working on this show is we didn’t have much people coming to our schools when we were children, talking about getting into fashion, talking about getting into beauty, talking about getting into art as much as we would like. So we want to change that and create more opportunities for more people of color to get into this industry. So that’s one of the things we want to do with this for sure, to continue to evolve the legacy of. We love to continue to stretch our hands across the world and involve as many people in this and have this describe bigger and bigger and bigger, eventually opening it up to the public.
The event coincided with the Met Gala weekend. Was this timing intentional, and how do you see the show complementing or contrasting with the Met Gala’s themes?
The timing was intentional. The theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” was something that we couldn’t think about without thinking about the expression of Black hair. So it was definitely intentional for sure. And also, it was a great time because that’s when everyone is in New York City. So we hustled to make it happen as quickly as possible.
Which reactions or feedback from attendees stood out to you, and how do they reflect the impact you hoped to achieve?
The audience engagement has been incredible. I’ve seen so many things online. I’ve seen I’ve gotten so much amazing feedback from everyone at the show. I can’t tell you how full my heart is.
Tell me about all the amazing brand partners that showed up and made the show a roaring success.
We were able to partner with so many brands like Redken and Kerastase. And we also collaborated with L’Oréal’s diversity initiative called The Texture of Change, which is trying to get more cosmetology schools to make sure textured hair is taught in certain states. The fact that this is not happening is a problem because there are a lot of people with textured hair who don’t feel attended to in beauty shops and salons. Make sure everyone signs the petition to make that happen.
What advice would you give to emerging hairstylists and creatives who aspire to celebrate and innovate within the realm of Black hair artistry?
I think it is super important to study the craft. Perfect your craft. And really study under people who have done this before you. The part of the show that I loved the most was giving honor to Oscar James and Chuckie Amos, who paved the way for artists like me to be able to do what I do in fashion and in beauty. I am forever grateful to them for that.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Julee Wilson is Beauty Editor at Large at Cosmopolitan. Previously, Julee was Beauty Director at Cosmo and Global Beauty Director at Essence and has held various editorial positions at Huffington Post and Real Simple. She counts herself lucky AF that she gets to play with beauty products for a living and tell dope stories. And if you’re as obsessed with beauty as she is, make sure to follow her on Instagram for plenty of product recs, natural hair inspo, skincare testing, and Black girl magic shenanigans.
