The CDFA Awards happened last night at the Brooklyn Museum and looks were definitely served. The Black designers decided to skip press, and unfortunately, didn’t get to take home any awards last night but ESSENCE got a chance to chat with some leading ladies about what it means to rock their natural hair and represent our community at these prestigious fashion events.
Kelela
On Rocking Her Natural Locs:
“I don’t have a choice [laughs], we always find ways to freak it, so it feels really good to find new ways all the time. At this point, it’s exciting, because you know every time you do your hair that somebody is quite specifically getting their aesthetic and it’s the intersection of what feels good and right in the world. It’s the intersection of aesthetic and justice. It’s what makes black people scream in the morning.”
On Representing Black Women On The Carpet:
“It’s an honor, I wish I didn’t have to be the one in ten representatives, but I am very glad to be able to do that. I am glad that I have access and I know how to use it. I am trying to use it in a way that’s responsible.”
Yara Shahidi
On Rocking Her Natural Hair:
“I don’t put heat on my hair other than a diffuser for a wash and go. I’ve been heat free for 3 years and it’s been important to me to just to rock my hair on carpets the way I do in real life.”
Halima Aden
On Representing Her Culture On The Red Carpet:
“I got my start by competing in miss USA, what launched my career was wearing the Berlin so to shoot for SI wearing a Burkini and to shatter so many perception, and to be right aside beautiful women who choose to wear a two-piece, one piece or nothing at all, felt incredible. I am wearing Tommy Hilfiger head-to-toe, an iconic American brand, red, white and blue is what I think of so to wear a hijab is making it my own.”