In 2023, the fashion industry transformed its perception of beauty by embracing the natural texture of hair in all its diverse forms. Tightly curled afros, which were once marginalized, now take centre stage on catwalks and in advertising campaigns, challenging conventional beauty standards, and celebrating the authenticity of textured hair. This newfound acceptance may seem like a trend, but it's important to recognize that textured hair isn't just a passing fashion fad—it's timeless and real.
The fashion industry's embrace of textured hair is a significant cultural shift, moving away from Eurocentric beauty ideals towards a more inclusive and representative standard of beauty. No longer confined to straightened styles or extensions, fashion houses are making an effort to showcase models with hair from coils to kinks to curls.
It's crucial to acknowledge that the celebration of textured hair is more than just a passing trend. It's a reaffirmation of identity and heritage. Throughout history, black and mixed-race women have faced discrimination and oppression due to their natural hair texture. During slavery times, they were often forced to cover their hair to avoid attracting attention from white men.
During the late 18th century in New Orleans, the growing free African and African American populations, fueled by newfound economic opportunities, led to an increase in interracial relationships, drawing concern from colonial authorities. In response, Governor Don Esteban Miró enacted the Tignon Laws in 1786, mandating Creole women of colour to wear a tignon (a type of headwrap or scarf) in public, regardless of their enslavement status, to signify their belonging to the slave class. Many of the women wore jewels and feathers in their hair at the time, attracting attention from white men. Despite this attempt to suppress the beauty and style of natural textured hair, these women transformed the tignon into a fashion statement, adorning it with intricate fabrics and jewels - some of which we still see worn today.
Today, the resurgence of textured hair in mainstream fashion represents a powerful reclaiming of identity and an assertion of self-love and acceptance. It's a rejection of Eurocentric beauty standards as the norm and a celebration of diversity and authenticity. Despite this positive change, however, more must be done. Models with curly locks are being forced to do their own hair for catwalks and photo shoots due to mosthairdressers not being trained to work with texturized hair.
At Charlotte Noire, we celebrate the beauty of textured hair and offer a range of services tailored to enhance and embrace its natural texture. From moisturizing treatments to specialized styling techniques, our expert stylists are dedicated to helping you achieve your desired look while celebrating the beauty of your natural hair. Join us in embracing the timeless beauty of textured hair and celebrating the diversity of beauty in all its forms.
♥️ CN team