The Hairstyles That Took Centerstage During Past Afropunk Fests

If you know AFROPUNK, you know we’re all about the alternative and experimental, DIY aesthetics, and radical non-conformity in modern Black culture and society. With this mission in mind, the AFROPUNK festival is our annual arts celebration that takes place in multiple cities internationally featuring core Black artists, performers, designers, and more.

Making its debut at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 2005, the AFROPUNK festival has become a staple in the alternative community with audiences reaching up to 60K  traveling to attend.

In honor of this year’s upcoming Planet AFROPUNK Live: Miami weekend, we’re showcasing some of the standout hair looks we loved at the 2017 Brooklyn and Paris AFROPUNK Fests. These one-of-a-kind styles seen in the crowd fully encompass our vision.

Bold and Beautiful

Image credit: S. Sampson

A fresh take on the flower child look, this festival-goer wears her hair festooned with flowers. A visual ode to the parallel between the beauty of Black hair and the natural intrigue of flowers, this eye-catching look was without a doubt one of the most creative and memorable of the fest.

Image credit: Ryan Purcell

Adorning the hair with beads is a traditional African practice that gained popularity throughout the world centuries ago. A gorgeous ode to our culture and history, we love this beaded and braided look that visually represents while being casual and cool.

Streetwise Sleek

Image credit: Lamine Diallo

Reminiscent of the punk looks of the 70s and 80s, this close shave is one of our favorite looks by a clean sweep. Powerful and platinum, this old-school alt look switches it up with a few razor-thin designs that make waves while being pleasing to the eye.

Image credit: Ryan Purcell

This bunned and bobby-pinned look isn’t just functional, it’s funky and fashion-forward. Guaranteed to beat the heat and stand up against crazy crowds, we love the laid-back but still hyper-glam look this AFROPUNK fest attendee gives.

Brightness Abounds

Image credit: Lamine Diallo

What’s better than representing with big coils and bigger color? This festival-goer rocks the party with a perfectly plum updo that matches their Haute headband of the same hue. Can’t argue with this kind of coordination!

Image credit: Lamine Diallo

Blending the traditional with the avant-garde, this lovely loc-ed look celebrates the creativity of the diaspora with a bit of new wave flair.

Stay tuned for more info on upcoming AFROPUNK fests.

To learn more about Planet AFROPUNK Life: Miami click here.