With the iconic Bronner Bros. Hair Show on pause, Echelon Noir Productions has filled the void.
On May 2, elites in the Black beauty and fashion space assembled in New York City’s Financial District for the debut of “Black Hair Reimagined: The New Era of Beauty,” a groundbreaking hair show founded by beauty experts and longtime friends, hairstylist Jawara Wauchope and creative director Jarrod Lacks.
Hosted by actress and fashion icon Tracee Ellis Ross, the event drew major star power—including Solange Knowles, who was there to cheer on her son Daniel Julez J. Smith Jr. as he hit the runway alongside top models like Anok Yai.
“I’m excited to be here because these are all my people,” Ellis Ross told Vogue. “Even the stylists they’re working with are people that I know and adore. To kick off this weekend and all the work they’re going to be doing, this is a moment for their work to shine as an expression of them, not a collaboration of all the other pieces.”
The show spotlighted five visionary hair artists and their stylist collaborators, with support from pioneering Black creatives—including makeup powerhouses Sir John and Sheika Daley, nail design director Dawn Sterling, and movement director Stephen Galloway.
“Hair will always mean the same thing for me—it’s a form of self-acceptance and a very intimate relationship that I feel honored to be able to have,” Ellis Ross said. “I love that my hair can do anything, if I treat it right, hydrate it, and love it. I love that in 2025, we’re at a place, where whether it’s the Crown Act or just what we get to see on the pages of magazines and on screen—it all feels like freedom and liberation.”
Legendary stylists, including Yusef Williams, Vernon François, Cyndia Harvey, and Malcolm Marquez, helped Wauchope design 25 stunning, hair-centered looks that celebrated Black creativity, heritage, and pride. The sculptural, dreamlike styles were powered by Redken, Kérastase, and True + Pure Texture products.
More than just a showcase, the event was a call to action—produced in partnership with THE TEXTURE OF CHANGE, a movement championing equity and education around textured hair in the beauty industry.
“This is us: this is our kind of celebration,” Carol’s Daughter founder and hair care pioneer Lisa Price said.
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