- Jul 30, 2015
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AFRICAN MODEL CHOOSES NATURAL HAIR OVER WEAVE AND WINS
August 10, 2015 ‐ By Chelcee Johns
Photo by Fernanda Calfat/Getty Images
In best-selling author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel Americanah the main character perms her hair in order to look as professional as possible for a job interview. Months after getting the job, the slim African immigrant is back to natural and out of a job in a week.
This extreme scenario may not be the case for all, but many African American women struggle with deciding the best way to wear our hair in corporate America. But could the tide be shifting? It is for Angolan model Maria Borges. Borges entered the the modeling industry sporting a long, straight weave often seen on many black models until a conversation with designer Riccardo Tisci of Givenchy changed that.
“He asked me to change my hairstyle,” Borges told Style.com. Tisci had made the same request last season, but Borges was not up for it just yet.
“I had booked an H&M campaign that same week and at the time I wasn’t feeling as comfortable with change. This season I finally felt ready, and I’m glad that I did,” said the stunning model.
Borges removed her weave and did the “big chop” before her next Givenchy show for Fall 2015 and to her surprise many fellow models found her unrecognizable. Many Black girls who have done the same know what it’s like switching hairstyles among their non-Black coworkers.
“They didn’t recognize me at all,” recalled Borges. “There were people asking backstage, ‘Who is that new girl?’ which I thought was hilarious.”
More: http://madamenoire.com/578185/maria-borges/
August 10, 2015 ‐ By Chelcee Johns
Photo by Fernanda Calfat/Getty Images
In best-selling author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel Americanah the main character perms her hair in order to look as professional as possible for a job interview. Months after getting the job, the slim African immigrant is back to natural and out of a job in a week.
This extreme scenario may not be the case for all, but many African American women struggle with deciding the best way to wear our hair in corporate America. But could the tide be shifting? It is for Angolan model Maria Borges. Borges entered the the modeling industry sporting a long, straight weave often seen on many black models until a conversation with designer Riccardo Tisci of Givenchy changed that.
“He asked me to change my hairstyle,” Borges told Style.com. Tisci had made the same request last season, but Borges was not up for it just yet.
“I had booked an H&M campaign that same week and at the time I wasn’t feeling as comfortable with change. This season I finally felt ready, and I’m glad that I did,” said the stunning model.
Borges removed her weave and did the “big chop” before her next Givenchy show for Fall 2015 and to her surprise many fellow models found her unrecognizable. Many Black girls who have done the same know what it’s like switching hairstyles among their non-Black coworkers.
“They didn’t recognize me at all,” recalled Borges. “There were people asking backstage, ‘Who is that new girl?’ which I thought was hilarious.”
More: http://madamenoire.com/578185/maria-borges/
