Celebrating Afro Hair at the Victoria & Albert Museum 15 October 2022

Award-winning hairstylist Charlotte Mensah will be in conversation with broadcaster and author Afua Hirsch, reflecting on her career in the world of natural hair care. Film screenings including ‘CABELO BEDJO’ by SUMWeekly, an experimental film based on intimacy, self-acceptance and textured hair, elegantly critiquing the idea of ugly hair and the discriminations associated with it.

Wash Day is part of a series of events accompanying the V&A’s Africa Fashion exhibition, which celebrates the irresistible creativity, ingenuity and unstoppable global impact of contemporary African fashions. The exhibition is the UK’s most extensive exhibition of African fashions to date, featuring 45 designers from over 20 countries and exploring the work of the vanguard in the twentieth century and the creatives at the heart of this eclectic and cosmopolitan scene today.

Afro-textured hair and hairstyles have been the source of discussion, pride, discrimination, and rebellion for hundreds of years.

The V&A Museum will hold a day-long FREE event celebrating Afro hair, on 15 October. ‘Wash Day’ will include workshops, talks, film screenings and advice on caring for Afro hair for all the family from a number of leading experts.

As part of the Wash Day programme, Hairdresser Uju Ozomba and Kids Hair Coach and Stylist Efayena Dorcas will be demonstrating detangling, washing, conditioning, and styling on a variety of Afro hair types.

For tickets for Africa Fashion exhibition, click here.