Tracee Ellis Ross, Paloma Elsesser, Justine Skye and More Celebrate Inaugural Black Hair Show

NEW YORK – “It’s like family in here,” kicked off host Tracee Ellis Ross on Friday night at Echelon Noir Productions’ inaugural Black Hair Show.

The event, titled “Black Hair Reimagined: The New Era of Beauty,” celebrated the history and future of Black art through hair, showcasing ornate creations by five celebrity hairstylists including Yusef Williams, Vernon François, Malcolm Marquez, Cyndia Harvey and Jawara Wauchope, who cofounded Echelon Noir Productions alongside Jarrod Lacks.

Attendees included Paloma Elsesser, Justine Skye, Luar’s Raul Lopez and Solange Knowles, whose son, Daniel Julez J. Smith Jr., walked the show alongside models Anok Yai, Jordan Daniels and more.

“I am here tonight because I love hair and all of the artists that are here tonight to share their magic, and I love us,” continued Ellis Ross. “We have been sitting between the knees and in chairs getting love poured into our hair for generations — from braids to press-and-curls to high-tops to wash-and-go’s; from blocks, to layers, to weaves, ‘buss downs’ — the whole thing.

“Black hair shows are a special part of our culture,” continued Ross, nodding to the Bronner Bros. hair shows and Detroit’s Hair Wars, which have been showcasing Black hair artistry for decades. “We proudly join the legacy of this tradition with a lineup of elite hair designers and stylists who are shaping the future while paying homage to the icons who blazed the trails and paved the road.”

The five stylists highlighted in the show’s first iteration have designed hair looks for A-listers including Rihanna, Doechii, Tyla, Lupita Nyong’o, FKA Twigs, Amandla Stenberg, Kendrick Lamar, Teyanna Taylor and more.

“This is a passion project for us,” said Lacks. “We couldn’t be here without incredible talent like Chuckie Amos, without the people who paved the way and haven’t gotten the dues they deserve — and now we’re allowed to do it for them.”