Jawara

International hairstylist Jawara is one of the most sought-after names in fashion. The Senior Beauty Editor-at-Large of i-D Magazine has a number of notable accolades under his belt, including a British Fashion Council New Wave Creatives Award as well as Business of Fashion 500 and Dazed 100 rankings.

Jawara first started his career as a salon assistant in Brooklyn when he was just 16. After graduating from the Fashion Institute of Technology and the Aveda Institute, Jawara moved to London and began assisting industry legends Guido Palau and Luigi Murenu on runway shows and shoots. It was after being mentored by icon Sam McKnight that Jawara reached the level of artistry at which he works today.

When Jawara left McKnight’s team in 2013, he began working independently. His extensive knowledge and remarkably diverse skill set and range of work soon garnered the attention of many influential names, including musical talents Cardi B, FKA Twigs and Solange – with whom he has worked extensively, most recently for the covers of Dazed and AnOther Magazine.

Jawara’s work is frequently featured in the pages of British Vogue, Vogue Italia, Re-edition, Dazed, i-D Magazine, Pop Magazine, T Magazine, W Magazine, and WSJ Magazine, among others.

His impressive roster of clients includes Burberry, Off-White, Gucci, Calvin Klein, Alexander Wang, Nina Ricci, Thierry Mugler, Chloe, Chanel, and Hermès.

COARSE: The Edges of Black Ingenuity

In this exhibition, Jawara explores the meaning of Blackness using hair as a lens to dive into the poetry and politics of culture, community, and personal identity.

The exhibition features images by the hairstylist’s frequent collaborators, including photographers Tyler Mitchell, Kristin-Lee Moolman, Nadine Ijewere and Kyle Weeks, among others, as well as unpublished images by Art Partner photographer Oliver Hadlee Pearch.

Of the exhibition, Jawara states, “It is my intention to use this platform to curate a storied journey of triumph through the power of our follicles. I was taught at a young age that “hair is strength” by my mother who hasn’t cut her hair in 43 years. I believe that the best way to convey this truth is through beauty.”

View the exhibition here.