Texture Takes the Stage… A celebration of every curl, coil, and crown.
Hair is personal.
We wear it up, down, slicked back, twisted, braided, or curled. (but don’t cut your own bangs!)
With so many ways to style it, everyone has an opinion, especially when it comes to textured hair.
For too long, textured hair has been told to conform. To be “fixed,” “trained,” or “tamed.”
But Texture Takes the Stage flipped that script and turned what’s been critiqued into something to be celebrated.
Because what grows naturally from your head doesn’t need changing. It deserves center stage.
Sharita Payton, owner of The Loft Hair Studio, and producer Erica Gomes dreamed up a night that blended high-end runway, cultural storytelling, film, and live artistry.
It was a movement, not just a show.
Guests mingled pre-show, exploring local vendors such as The Consciously Lisa Collection by Preciously Polished Jewelry and Tress Hats.
And Karyn Parsons (yes, Hilary Banks herself) was in the room. Total fangirl moment.
Model and writer Gabrielle Grosvenor hosted, guiding us through a night that was equal parts art and affirmation.
A short film, produced by Sweeter the Juice Films, featured Parsons sharing her journey, from her fame as The Fresh Prince to realizing her impact as a role model for textured hair.
She reminded us: confidence means never shrinking yourself, or your hair, to fit in.
Spoken word artist Amanda Shea performed “A Beautiful Resistance,” a poem honoring the power and complexity of textured hair.
Then came the runway.
Models in neutral-toned bodysuits let their hair take the spotlight: gravity-defying coils, bold braids, voluminous curls, and afros that commanded the room.
Model: @carinaslm
Hair & MUA: @alexiajay__
The second segment, in collaboration with @Bogosplit, highlighted real women and their own natural styles. It was a true testament to individuality and community.
At its heart, Texture Takes the Stage is more than a show.
It’s a statement. One that blends beauty, fashion, and culture to remind us all that texture isn’t something to change or control.
It’s something to celebrate.