Who are the visionary hairstylists behind the most iconic looks of Fashion Weeks?
Fashion Week: a playground where dreams and numbers intertwine, but also a stage where, behind the glittering runways, a silent army of creatives is writing history. In 2024, Parisian shows generated 391 million euros in media impact—an astronomical figure. Yet, it’s in the intimacy of backstage where the magic happens: hairstylists, makeup artists, stylists, creative directors… Who are these architects of the shadows, sculpting the aesthetics of luxury and shaping the viral trends of tomorrow? Their revolution is here, in this quest for visibility. So let’s bring them out of the shadows and into the spotlight.
Who are the masters behind the hairstyles?
Hair by Shinji Konishi, Comme des Garçons “noir kei ninomiya” Fall/Winter 2025
The industry cloaks itself in inclusivity, but the backstage tells a different story. Runways showcase BIPOC faces, but what about the decision-making roles? How many creative directors, head designers, or strategy leaders from these communities are truly shaping the future of brands? Diversity cannot be limited to image; it must be embedded in studios, boardrooms, and workshops. Without this, inclusivity remains a performance, a smokescreen hiding a reality much more stagnant than it claims to be. Let’s break down the pioneers and the new wave of artists leading the charge.
Those who paved the way
Cyndia Harvey
Cyndia Harvey, photographed by Paul Scala
Of Jamaican descent, Cyndia Harvey is one of the most influential hairstylists in the industry, known for her bold creations and mastery of afro textures. In 2024, she led the hairstyling teams for prestigious shows such as Marine Serre, Simone Rocha, Nensi Dojaka, and Jacquemus. She was also the head hairstylist for the Coperni Spring/Summer 2023 show. Her talent has attracted A-list celebrities, including Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna, Alicia Keys, Beyoncé, Frank Ocean, FKA Twigs, Naomi Campbell, and Janelle Monáe, adding her unique touch to their red carpet appearances and photoshoots for magazines like Vogue, Elle, and Harper's Bazaar.
Hair by Cyndia Harvey, photographed by Terry Mitchell, styled by Brian Molloy, W Magazine 2023
Her film ‘Hair Of Mine”
« BIPOC creatives are often invisible backstage, even though we’ve always been here. The industry must accept giving us more space so we can truly make a difference. »
Jawara Wauchope
Jawara Wauchope, photographed by Kayleen Dicuangco
In the ultra-selective arena of haute couture hairstyling, where legendary names often boil down to a single word—Guido, Luigi, Odile—another mononym emerges with undeniable force: Jawara. Born in Brooklyn and raised in Jamaica, Jawara Wauchope made his mark in the world of hairstyling with rhythm, energy, and unshakable confidence.
Hair by Ib Jawara, photographed by Tyler Mitchell
Mastering the art of enhancing natural textures, Jawara Wauchope brings a radical modernity to afro styling and streetwear aesthetics. From Louis Vuitton at the Spring-Summer 2024 Fashion Week to Rihanna’s Fenty, and collaborations with Gucci, Off-White, Chanel, Calvin Klein, Elie Saab, and Jean Paul Gaultier for the Spring-Summer 2025 season, his mark is everywhere. A true backstage chameleon, he has shaped the looks of Solange, FKA Twigs, Megan Thee Stallion, Alicia Keys, and Bella Hadid, turning every head of hair into a work of art.
Hair by Jawara, photographed par Nadine Ijewere
Jawara doesn’t limit himself to the runways. As Senior Beauty Editor-at-Large for i-D and a recipient of the British Fashion Council's New Wave Creative Award, he celebrates Black culture through visionary exhibitions while imprinting his aesthetic in Vogue (US, UK, Italia), Dazed, i-D, and T Magazine. His meteoric rise since breaking out in 2013 is no accident: he doesn’t follow trends, he creates them.
« Each texture is a blank canvas, ready to tell a new story. »
The new wave
Karim Belghiran
Karim Belghiran was born in Paris in 1993. A true sculptor of hair, he elevates each strand into a work of art, crafting textures and volumes that defy expectations. His structural approach gives his work a cinematic aura, a delicately controlled surrealism, a hair alchemist whose hands transform textures into manifestos. Of Moroccan and Spanish descent, he now resides in Paris, where he channels his talent for the world’s most prestigious fashion houses.
Karim began his career in Barcelona, working at one of the city's most renowned salons, where he learned the importance of caring for women's hair and meeting their expectations. He then transitioned into the film industry, styling for movies like Perfume, where he perfected his wig-making craft and developed a more refined artistic vision. This eclectic journey quickly caught the attention of top photographers, stylists, and fashion editors. His talent for creating styles that are both modern and natural has made him one of the most sought-after and versatile hairstylists in the industry.
Hair by Karim Belghiran
Now based in Paris, he brings his talent to some of the world’s most prestigious fashion houses, including Louis Vuitton (for their men’s shows since 2023), Chanel, Bottega Veneta, Zara, Miu Miu, Loewe, Versace, and Jacquemus. His work has graced the pages of renowned magazines such as i-D, Vogue France, Acne Papers, Holiday, 032c, Vogue Italia, British Vogue, Vogue España, Le Monde D'Hermès, M Le Monde, Interview, and Self Service.
In 2024, he shapes the ethereal, architectural silhouettes of the Rick Owens and Loewe shows, where hair becomes armor and living sculptures. He elevates the campaigns for Fendi and Saint Laurent, collaborating with photographers like Steven Meisel and Carlijn Jacobs to create mesmerizing visuals.
In 2025, he takes center stage at the Mugler, Schiaparelli, Vivienne Westwood, Casablanca, and Zomer shows, reinventing hair extravagance with a futuristic minimalism. During the men’s shows, he lights up the Louis Vuitton runway, also crafting their latest Louis Vuitton Men’s S/S 25 campaign with photographer Stef Mitchel.
With graphic wigs and gravity-defying structures, Karim Belghiran doesn’t just style hair—he writes a new chapter in the fashion imagination, where every head of hair becomes a work of art.
Joey George
In the vibrant and ever-evolving world of fashion, few have the audacity to challenge conventions with as much skill as Joy George. This American hairstylist, originally from Chicago, has become an undeniable figure behind some of the most coveted shows. Starting from a local neighborhood salon, he has traveled the world, sculpting hair with an expertise that redefines industry standards. Specializing in textured hair (without being BIPOC himself), he captures every nuance, even in the chaotic rush of backstage. Nothing escapes him. He sees everything. He knows everything.
I had the privilege of collaborating with Joy George at the Diotima show during New York Fashion Week 2024. From the very first moments, I was struck by his surgical professionalism. A white hairstylist mastering my texture with such precision? A miracle, coming from Paris. The right products, the right techniques, perfectly timed processes. The result: hydrated, silky, and shiny hair. No damage. A rare feat when you’re modeling in France.
On the runway front, 2024 and 2025 solidified his status as a true hair maestro. He made his mark at "An Olympic Night of Fashion – Paris 2024," elevating the creations of Luis Machicao and Teresa Maria Rosati. Over the past two years, he has also styled for Diotima, Willy Chavarria, Ulla Johnson, and Atlein at NYFW. More recently, at the Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture 2025, he styled for Schiaparelli and Dior, blending tradition and modernity with sculptural precision.
His approach? Inclusive, radical, visionary. He doesn’t just style hair; he celebrates it. Every texture, every curl, every frizz tells a story, captured in avant-garde storyboards that are artworks in their own right. Joy George doesn’t follow fashion — he creates it.
