Meet Simone Williamson: Reclaiming the narrative around black hair (2024)

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Meet Simone Williamson: Reclaiming the narrative around black hair (1)
  • Written byStudent Communications
  • Published date 23 October 2024

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Meet Simone Williamson: Reclaiming the narrative around black hair (2)

This Black History Month, we caught up with Simone Williamson, who spoke to us about the beauty, symbolism, history and power of Afro hair styles.

Hi Simone! Could you tell us a bit about yourself?

Hello! I’m a proud mummy and Admissions Administrator at UAL. By day, I process applications and by night (and weekends) I am a mobile afro hair stylist and educator.

You’ve been very busy this October at UAL!

A remarkably busy and extremely exciting October! I participated in the Black History Launch event that took place on 3 October. It was such a great event because as well as displaying what I do, I had the opportunity to meet some lovely colleagues I would not have met otherwise.

I also did a social media takeover on UAL’s Instagram channel, which involved a demonstration of how I create my styles. You can still watch it online!

On 25 October I will be delivering a workshop entitled, “Lost & Found: Reclaiming Afro Beauty,” which I am especially excited about. There are still some places left, so book now.

Book Simone’s workshop on afrohair styling on Friday 25 October

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What are your goals for Afrocks?

I’m aiming for Afrocks to become an afro hair hub, a one-stop for all things afro related. We currently only serve London so it would be great to provide the service on a larger scale. As a business, we are still recovering from the Covid era so currently, our focus is to re-introduce ourselves. Now that people have been made aware of how lucrative the afro industry is, it has been monopolised by those who wish to be wealthy and do not care about afro hair. Afrocks is a community and we want to provide the best service and trusted support for clients and stylist.

How did you learn to braid and canerow?

I feel like I was born plaiting! I have been doing it for so long I can’t remember a time I was not in someone's hair. I started plaiting around age 7, plaiting well around 9. It was my Aunt Doreen who taught me how to braid. I remember rushing from school when I knew she was home as she would always let me plait, unravel and re-plait her hair for hours and hours. I started creative (patterned) braiding when I was in College.

I would watch my aunt plait and attempt to replicate it on my dolls. I kept practising and would ask her questions. As I became more experienced and creative with my styles, I then had to teach myself. The majority of what I have learnt and achieved with styling has been through experience, not only with clients but also through my own hair journey. Back then, there was no formal training or qualification for afro hair styling, it wasn’t even covered in most hairdressing courses. Although I made a fuss about that at the time, I feel privileged to have had the initial technique handed down to me from my Aunt.

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Is it difficult to learn how to style afro hair?

Errrrmmmm yes and no. The method of braiding is relatively simple, it is just 3 strands of hair overlapping one another. Almost anyone can tackle the basic braid but it does take patience, dedication and practice to achieve an accomplished braid.

Cane/cornrows are more challenging as you are plaiting close to and along the scalp and for the first few rotations, you are unable to see what you are doing.

Braiding, irrespective of the technique is dependent on fine motor skills and so if finger dexterity or hand-eye co-ordination is a challenge then it will be harder to grasp the technique (not impossible just more practice required). Creating a good style requires you to think about more than the actual braid; you have to take the head shape, hair density, problem areas and partings into account.

Tell us a bit about the history of canerows, mapping, etc.

Cane/cornrows can be traced back to 3000 BC. It is well documented that ancient African civilisations (and later on others) used hairstyles as an identity marker and would indicate a person’s age, wealth, marital status, tribe. I’m always taken with the fact that certain styles and braid patterns that would identify a new initiate who was ready for war. It is so fascinating to know that all of this information can be revealed about a person just on sight of their hair.

Hair was also used as a signifier of spiritual connection, it has been said that some believed braids could ward off bad spirits and bring good luck. Forcing our enslaved to shave their hair served to humiliate and removeidentity markers. This is why I always bang on about it being “more than just hair” as during this time, the cane/cornrows that were once revered and represented so many things was now a tool for survival.

It has been said that those planning escapes would lay rice, grains and all sorts onto their scalp and conceal within a canerow (you can see me demonstrating this on Sunday Morning Live).

If you look up braid mapping now, it refers to the pre-determined parting system a stylist will use to map out their style beforehand. Many are unaware of the creative connection to our enslaved as they used canerows to create literal maps or send messages. With coding only they could decipher, it has been said that braid mapping and communication played a big part in the success of the Maroons and the creation of free communities. Knowing that this specific hair type played such a significant role in the emancipation of our enslaved leaves me super proud and committed to changing the narrative around afro.

Some people take offence to what I like to call the “Bo Derek effect”. This is when something is only deemed popular when displayed or highlighted by White people. Kim Kardashian referred to her braided style as “Bo Derek Braids” but they were not Bo Derek braids, they were Fulani braids originating from the Fulani (Fula) in West Africa. Cane/cornrows are not a trend, they represent so much historically.

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How do you feel about cases where people are discriminated against due to their hair?

Don’t even get me started! In 2024, I feel exhausted and exasperated. There is also an element of great sadness at the missed opportunities, not just for those who are being discriminated against but those who are discriminating. They too have missed an opportunity; that child or employee that has been excluded/denied might have been the one to make the biggest impact or contribution to the school/workplace.

As a parent, I feel frustrated as I am forced to have conversations with my young children I would rather not have. If my child is reprimanded at school, is it for a genuine infringement or is it a case of covert discrimination? If I am qualified for a role and not successful at interview, is it because other candidates were genuinely better suited or were my locs deemed unprofessional? To know that your child’s education can be disrupted over the hair they are born with is mind-blowing.

In the UK, Ruby Williams was repeatedly suspended because her hair was “too big.” Jaylon Mason, from Dagenham was sent to isolation on his FIRST day as a year 7 pupil because of his hair. Chikayzea Flanders, who practices Rastafarianism, was told to cut his locs off or face suspension. Most of these cases end up in court funded by the EHRC (Equality and Human Rights Commission). These children should be experimenting with Bunsen burners and learning the periodic table and not caught up in legal action over their hair. I worry about the wider impact these cases have on the community; the optics of these cases present afro hair as a reason for punishment. This can lead to people hating/resenting their hair and culture, lack of confidence, isolation, intensifying identity issues and possible body dysmorphic ideals.

Do you know that there’s an actual law (in parts of the USA) so that black hair can be worn naturally?

The Crown Act (The Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act) is a Californian law created in 2019 that prohibits hair discrimination. In the UK, Michelle De Leon, founder of WAD (World Afro Day) has recently approached Parliament for a change in the law to cover hair discrimination. The Halo Code was launched in 2020, a guide for schools and employers to prevent discrimination. So, on the surface, I feel this is positive, people can feel protected and included BUT ultimately, I go back to feeling exhausted, exasperated and sad at the fact that we even need these laws in the first place. Also, these laws will only cover overt and blatant discrimination and does little for the people suffering micro-aggressions and covert discrimination in these settings.

Imagine we were not discussing hair, imagine we were discussing eye colouration; imagine if a law was needed to protect everyone with green eyes from discrimination, it sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it?The fact that laws are needed for people to just be themselves is sad. I do feel positive about the fact that these laws not only offer protection but will also hold individuals and companies/organisations accountable.

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Why is black hair seen as ‘political’?

Texturism (discrimination based on hair type and texture) is just a branch of racism and as a result, hair has been used as a marker of resistance for years. Black Panthers with their afros represented militance, Rastafarians and their locs represented defiance. Even Malcolm X giving up his Conk (a popular hairstyle for African-American men in 1920’s-60’s which required the hair to be chemically straightened) can be seen as a political declaration. This belief that a certain hair type or skin colour is superior to another laid the foundation for social injustices that continue today. The war on afro (and I’m not being dramatic) started during slavery and through the years we have been encouraged to believe the straighter your hair is, the more beautiful, worthy, smarter, deserving you are. Therefore, anyone stepping out of these beauty standards is knowingly/unknowingly engaging in social protest. Was Colin Kaepernick’s gesture of taking the knee even more powerful because he had a full afro?

Would you say society still perceives afro hair as unattractive?

Society has been very clever with its subconscious messaging. No one had to say that afro hair is unattractive because, instead we were flooded with images of what was considered beautiful and it was the exact opposite of us. Some of us feel our natural hair is hard to maintain and while afro hair does require attention, sometimes it is a lack of hair knowledge that makes the experience difficult rather than the hair itself. Some of us have past hair trauma and as a result have damaged hair and scalps. Going back to the previous question about hair exclusions and denied opportunities, some of us are afraid of not ‘fitting’ in and find it easier to conform. When people are faced with something they are unfamiliar with, they either embrace it, fear it, or subject it to ridicule. Ealmon Holmes comparing Dr Zoe William’s hair to an Alpaca on This Morning and Strictly’s Craig Revel Horwood comparing Motsi Mabusi’s patterned style to spaghetti junction may seem like ‘just bants’ but comments like these and fear of ridicule prevent many women from revealing their hair.

However, while there are still significant issues, the shift in perception of afro hair must be acknowledged. During Covid, many black women had no choice but to get reconnected with their natural hair. This led to an afro explosion, especially on social media. It is also important to remember that while afro is being celebrated now, this was not always the case and some women are still working through that.

Meet Simone Williamson: Reclaiming the narrative around black hair (7)

Have you got a favourite style?

I love them all! I do have a special place in my heart for Box Braids and patterned Cane/cornrows. They take ages to do but the process is very therapeutic, almost like knitting. There is also something about the sense of achievement once you have completed. My favourite style is a patterned up-do, this involves an intricate pattern at the back of the head with the front being styled more simplistic. Think afternoon tea at the front and a Soca rave at the back. I love the element of surprise of that style and any exposure of the nape creates a regal look.

How can we book an appointment with / keep in touch with Afrocks?

Most of my styles are on Instagram (@afrockshair), so have a look and get in touch! I encourage anyone interested in what we do to reach out as we will have some amazing things coming up.

Book Simone’s workshop on afrohair styling on Friday 25 October

Watch Simone 's afro hair styling demo on TikTok

Meet Simone Williamson: Reclaiming the narrative around black hair (2024)

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