"FULL CIRCLE" | A Celebration of the Resurgence of Natural Hairstyles

Female collaborations unite women by highlighting the strength in unity. "Full Circle" is a collaborative visual hair story by emerging make-up artist, Mamello Mokhele, and hairstylist Bonolo Gabuza who worked alongside a talented team. The story explores the pendulum swing of African hairstyles, moving from natural styles to Western-influenced ones and back to natural. The title "Full Circle" reflects the theme of returning to origins, where everything—space, color, and form—eventually comes back to its most authentic state.

Bonolo Gabuza shares, "I have always advocated for women to wear their natural hair with pride, free from societal beauty standards. Through this project, I aimed to modernize natural African hairstyles by incorporating traditional techniques such as wool-woven hair, afro-textured braids, and twisted dreadlocks."

Black hair has long been a subject of political and cultural significance, often carrying deeper meanings beyond surface perceptions. Natural hair, in particular, has historically been tied to revolutionary movements. This visual story acts as a rebellion against societal beauty norms, acknowledging both the resurgence of natural hairstyles and the ongoing challenges posed by negative perceptions in Western societies. As such, "Full Circle" underscores the need to celebrate and raise visibility around natural hair.

On her approach to makeup artistry, Mamello Mokhele explains, "I was inspired to use primary colors to reflect the idea of authenticity and a return to origins. Black beauty stories remain underrepresented in the media, and I believe it's our responsibility to create images that tell our stories from our own perspective."

"Full Circle" not only emphasizes the importance of natural hair but also showcases the diverse forms of beauty embodied by Black women.

Photography: David Blaq

Photography Assistant: Harness Hamese

Hair: Beezy Braid SA (Bonolo Gabuza)

Make-up: Mamelo Mokhele

Muses: Mamelo Mokhele, Lusanda Smith, Itumeleng Makgakga