Celebrity hairstylist Naeemah LaFond’s annual Texture on Set event made its return to Industry City in Brooklyn on a buzzing spring morning, drawing a diverse crowd of Black hairstylists, beauty professionals, and enthusiasts from across the industry. Now in its 2026 edition, the gathering has grown into one of the most meaningful days on the beauty calendar a full day experience built around education, creativity, community, and the unapologetic celebration of textured hair.
From the moment doors opened at 10 a.m., the energy inside was unmistakable. A red carpet welcome and live demonstration from hairstylists Mitchel Cantrell and Nique Strose set the tone early, before LaFond took the floor for opening remarks that grounded the entire day in its core mission: honoring natural textures and the people who work with them.
Olaplex’s curl care demo stole the morning
Among the day’s early highlights was a live demonstration presented by Olaplex, led by hairstylist and global brand ambassador Christin Brown alongside Rising Visionary Award winner Dre Demry. The two created runway-ready looks on models while walking attendees through a range of Olaplex products including an as yet unreleased hairspray that drew considerable interest from the crowd.
Their central message throughout the demonstration was a clear and direct one: curly hair should never be forced to conform to anything. The looks they produced embodied that philosophy, letting texture lead every decision.
A history lesson that reframed everything
One of the most talked about segments of the day was a panel led by Maya Smith, founder and CEO of The Doux, who introduced makeup artist Michaela Wariebi for a presentation that traced the history of Black hairstyles from the 16th century through to the present day.
Wariebi walked attendees through how hairstyles once functioned as rich markers of geographic origin, tribal identity, and cultural belonging and how that meaning was deliberately stripped away during the Transatlantic Slave Trade. The presentation was both sobering and galvanizing, underscoring the ways Black individuals have continuously reclaimed and reinvented their hair traditions across centuries of adversity. The image of ancestors repurposing kitchen tools as styling instruments out of necessity and ingenuity drew an emotional response from the room.
Editorial styling got its moment
Hairstylist Stacey Ciceron led an editorial styling panel that broke down the techniques behind achieving sleek, polished ponytails specifically on textured hair. Her session was equal parts practical and philosophical, emphasizing that achieving a refined finish does not have to come at the cost of hair health. Product selection, she argued, is everything and the right tools make all the difference when working under the time pressures of an editorial shoot.
LaFond led a live shoot that showed speed and skill
A live photo shoot helmed by LaFond herself gave attendees a chance to watch her work in real time, demonstrating how to move between different hairstyles quickly without sacrificing quality. For stylists navigating fast-paced production environments, the session was a practical masterclass in efficiency and adaptability.
A cocktail hour built the community
Between sessions, a cocktail hour gave attendees space to connect, exchange ideas, and build the kind of professional relationships that rarely happen in a classroom setting. For many of the stylists present, that networking time was just as valuable as the formal programming.
The Texture on Set Awards closed the night with pride
The day wrapped with the Texture on Set Awards, which recognized individuals making meaningful contributions to the textured hair space. Industry Icon Ursula Stephen, Living Legend Itaysha Jordan, and Rising Visionary Dre Demry were among the honorees celebrated for their influence and impact on the beauty industry.
As the room cleared, Wariebi’s words from earlier in the day lingered. Her call to action asking attendees what they would create with the resources available to them, given everything their ancestors built with so much less left the crowd with something to carry well beyond Industry City. Texture on Set 2026 did exactly what LaFond has always intended it to do: remind an industry of where it came from and challenge it to keep moving forward.
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