HJ attended the inaugural Braiders Brunch presented by Braids Gang, bringing together the UK’s leading braiders and textured hair stylists...
On Saturday 26 July, the textured hair industry came together for a milestone event as Braids Gang hosted the first-ever Braiders Brunch UK at Motel Studios, London. Over 300 braiders, natural hair stylists, and textured hair professionals gathered for a day dedicated to education, empowerment, and elevating the craft of braiding.
More than a networking event, the Braiders Brunch served as a platform to address a long-standing disparity: while Black women account for just 4.2% of the UK’s female population, they drive 10% of total haircare spend. Yet, the artists and creatives who shape trends in this £1.7 billion market have remained underfunded, under-celebrated, and overlooked within the wider industry. Braids Gang Founder and CEO Gabriella Anderson commented: “This event was especially meaningful as Braids Gang had the honour of being the first UK partner to introduce MYAVANA’s AI hair technology to the market,” she shared. “It was a milestone for our community and a powerful example of how culture and technology can come together to drive meaningful change.”
Throughout the day, attendees immersed themselves in a carefully curated programme of panel discussions and hands-on workshops. Industry-leading speakers led insightful conversations around business development, creativity, and wellbeing - addressing the evolving role of braiders as not only artists but entrepreneurs. The two panel talks got straight to the heart of matters within the braiding industry. The first, Booked, Busy and Beyond, featured Susana Restrepoarias from YouTube, Tressly founder Antoinette Ale, Aminata Kamara, Savanna Kelly, and session stylist Sam Groeneveld. The second, The Stylist Reset, focused on mental health, resilience, and confidence building, and featured Erica Castro, Rufina Stuart founder of Reformed Hair, Lattara Clarke, Paris-based hairstylist Hyacintha Faustino, and Dr Tamia Bethea.
MYAVANA, a tech-driven haircare company specialising in textured hair analysis, took centre stage as the event’s title sponsor, providing live demonstrations of their pioneering AI hair diagnostic tools. The showcase reflected the event’s overarching theme, ‘Textured Futures: Innovation, Identity & Industry Power’, highlighting the relationship between tradition and technological advancement in the textured hair sector.
Another standout moment was the Avant-Garde Hair Showcase, an exhibition of sculptural braiding artistry that demonstrated the boundless creativity of textured hair professionals. The intricate craftsmanship on display from Nina Maudsley & Leesha Wyeth and Anne Cecille affirmed the braiding community’s place at the forefront of hair artistry. Alongside educational agenda, guests enjoyed gourmet food, signature cocktails and music from a live DJ, all designed to foster genuine connection in a warm, supportive environment. Attendees left with curated goodie bags filled with products from brands including Tangle Teezer, Cantu, Ebin Europe, and Creme of Nature. Proceeds from the event were donated in full to Our Pain 2 Power, a youth charity supporting vulnerable young people through mentorship and empowerment initiatives - a testament to Braids Gang’s commitment to community. The Braiders Brunch has firmly established itself as a vital space where creativity meets business, and community drives industry change.
Read next: How One Woman Created Her Own Braiding Community...
