Cyndia Harvey, a London-based hair stylist, is changing the game on how stylistic approaches to hair can be executed in an artistic and beautiful way. Heavily influenced by the abstract shapes in paintings by Chris Ofili, Harvey’s new age hair styles are taking the world by storm. At only thirty-four years of age Harvey’s fresh take on high fashion styling landed her a signed deal with one of the largest creative agencies, Streeter.
The Jamaican born stylist most recently did a project titled This Hair of Mine, where she divulges into African history, using hair as her main medium. For the film, Harvey dug into her models’ ancestry to try to find the most accurate way to present them on screen. She went as far as narrowing it down to specific tribes to replicate traditional Afro styles that they would have worn pre-19th century. In an interview for W Magazine, Harvey admits, “I had wanted to capture the essence of Black women for a long time, in a way that hadn’t been done before,” which was something her mentor Sam McKnight agreed with (Hickman-Kirby, 2021). The series completed her image to a tee; moreover, the final products can be seen on her Instagram page.
In her time as an artist, she’s booked clients that range from Gucci to most recently Calvin Kein. For her latest cover spread for W Magazine, Cyndia styled her models with variations of natural afros, one of her many signature looks. She accessories her styles with the use of beads, woven weaves and thick ties, which only add more depth to her eccentric techniques. She cures the battle for women who struggle with styling their hair in innovative ways.
On top of her range with styling, she instills a sense of inclusion as her models fit all different body types. Her talents brew the internal feeling of confidence, for she reminds others their looks stem from their ancestors, and that alone is special.
Throughout the work she has been showcasing recently, one thing rings clear; The most beautiful accessory you have is the natural beauty you have within yourself. Cyndia Harvey does nothing to take away from the person whom she’s styling, but only accentuates the beautiful features they already have.