F.Y.E.S.T.A., Afro Hair Trends In China

30/4/2013

Multi-coloured strands of hair lay strewn across the boutique floor. At one end of the shop was a make-up artist readying a model with her final touches. Right opposite, a stylist was busy sculpting a fluorescent pink hair piece with razor-sharp angles followed by lashings of hair spray to keep the new style in place. These were the artistic preparations from Studio Ebony. The one-of-a-kind Afro Hair salon first open its doors in Shanghai last November and today was their first foray into a fashion event.

F.Y.E.S.T.A. (Forever Young Extravaganza of Style and Arts), now in its fourth showing, was set up by French entrepreneur Sylvie Wen who has a desire to provide Shanghai’s emerging artistic community a platform for showcasing a variety of concepts and designs.

Taking place at the pedestrian zone of Jiashan Market, the monthly event recently moved to Café Sambal, a Malaysian bar/restaurant, taking full advantage of the venue’s spacious rooftop terrace.

The place was buzzing as people socialised and meandered between stalls which included unique clothing wear and accessories and a couple of foodie tables - a scrumptious display of Brazilian hand-made chocolate balls (Effa’s Brazilian Treats) and food from the motherland (Eat Ethio).

Helina and Fatima selling Ethiopian food - 'Eat Ethio'.

People selling unique clothing lines/accessories.

That was our dinner right there. On our plates was a good helping of Minshet Abish Wot (beef stew) with Tikil Gomen (cabbage, carrot, potato stew) and Misir Wot (lentil stew) – all loving prepared and spiced by Ethiopian native Helina. Helping alongside her was Fatima (Morocco) who, between them, were doing a roaring trade and a couple of hours later had completely sold out.

Walking in between the different groups of moving people, you literally drifted past a different language being spoken each time. And, that international audience was about to feast its eyes on some of the outspoken Afro hair creations courtesy of Studio Ebony.

Founders Bryonie Richards and Camille Lindo (both Jamaican nationals) were frantically looking over the models and tidying up any loose ends just before the show was to begin. Even Lezil got in on the act by assisting with straightening some of the hair designs. We realised the hair used wasn’t 100% human hair so she had to be super careful with the flat iron’s heat setting and how long she tended to the hair strands without risking burning them.

There was certainly a lot of curiosity bouncing about as this was to be a first for an event in Shanghai – displaying African/Caribbean hairstyles by a Caribbean-owned salon. The models, too, were an international affair with countries like Gabon, the US, Antigua and China all represented. Each came with their style-design name which was as colourful as the hair pieces themselves: Rastaman Vibrations, Flower Power, Cleopatra’s Creation, Cocktail Beret, Ebony Dragon. Café Sambal’s main restaurant area was packed wall-to-wall with people who, in turn, created a kind of human catwalk passage for the models to parade through.

Backstage at the boutique, Lezil straightening hair.

Each one strutted her stuff while Studio Ebony’s Camille gave a running commentary over some happening house beats played by Australia’s DJ Cherokee (one of three guest DJs to play that evening). China is a whole new market when it comes to the Afro hair industry. Unlike nearby Japan where a fascination towards Caribbean culture, in particular Jamaica, has spread the growth and understanding of this fast-growing hair sector – China still has a long way to go. But with Shanghai being the mainland leader in all things Western and with Studio Ebony’s presence right in the heart of the city – the salon is certainly in the right place for pioneering a new trend into the Chinese marketplace.