The Spring/Summer 2026 leg of New York Fashion Week has been flying by, but the streets of the city are still alive and full of energy. On day four, the lineup featured shows from Head of State, House of Aama, Sandy Liang and a host of other designers that prompted show-goers to play with texture from head to toe.
On the New York streets, the ESSENCE beauty team saw a beautiful display of textured hairstyles in many forms and variations. From blown-out ginger curls and braided c-cuts, to locs ranging from dark brown to honey-blonde. And of course, we can’t forget our babes that wore their hair in its natural state from short cuts to a perfectly picked out afro.
The diversity of natural hair textures on display made quite a statement. Each curl and coil told a story that was centered around pride and reclamation. As the models and attendees alike moved through the streets, showcasing their natural textures, it sent a powerful message about embracing genetic beauty in spaces where conformity once thrived.
What’s most inspiring about these showings of texture on the streets of New York fashion week is that more times than not, Black women are not widely embraced in all of their glory to live in their textures during these occasions. It’s needless to say again, that Black women have been taking up space this season and reminding us that they are the standard—period.
Day four felt like a call-to-action that challenged long-standing Eurocentric beauty ideals that have swamped the fashion industry. For each twist-out, butterfly loc and bouncy curly pattern we observed, it spoke cultural resistance and self love
As the beauty and fashion world continues to evolve, it’s clear that textured hair isn’t just a “thing” and the community is taking back what’s rightfully theirs—one runway and street at a time.
Below are the 25 best beauty moments from the day.
