Picture this: a flowing cape made entirely of platinum blonde waves, a sharply tailored suit sculpted from tight curls, and shoes braided from synthetic strands. This is not fantasy—it’s the real, wearable world that Akhuetie has created, where hair is not just an accessory but a canvas, a textile, and a declaration.
The London-based artist has dressed Tems, designed custom pieces for Cate Blanchett, built colossal installations for UK institutions, and produced unforgettable looks for Fiorucci. But beyond the buzz is a deeper intention. Akhuetie takes something deeply personal—hair—and recontextualizes it as sculpture, fashion, furniture, even protest.
From Braids to Bundles: A Material Journey
Raised just outside of London in a Nigerian household, Akhuetie’s roots are a rich blend of tradition and experimentation. Before turning to fashion-art hybrids, she studied film and eventually immersed herself in the hair industry, launching her custom braid bar a decade ago. But when the 2020 lockdown shuttered salons, it sparked a radical new direction.
What began as a hobby during lockdown—stitching hair into unexpected objects—evolved into a transformative body of work. Her medium: synthetic hair, the kind sold in packs at beauty supply stores, repurposed with vision and wit. Her work is nostalgic and futuristic, personal and universal.
Portfolio of Hair: Sculptural Garments and Subversive Statements
The Fiorucci Look
Akhuetie’s collaboration with Fiorucci delivered a runway moment that refused to be ignored. A look built entirely from synthetic hair shimmered under the lights like a disco hallucination, evoking both beauty-supply aesthetics and Blade Runner fantasy. It was couture with a twist: braid texture in silhouette form.
The Blonde Cape and Skirt
One of her most striking works is a cape made from long, silky blonde hair, paired with classic wardrobe staples. The dramatic volume contrasts sharply with the simplicity of the underlying garments, creating a sense of elegance turned up to eleven. In a similarly constructed skirt, Akhuetie played with movement and materiality—wavy hair as hemline, texture as spectacle.
The Curly Hair Suit and Beyond
In a series of structured garments that could double as sculpture, Akhuetie constructed a Curly Hair Suit, complete with Braided Tie, Braided Top, Curly Hair Skirt, and even hairy slides. The effect is both sharp and celebratory, blending precision tailoring with unapologetically Black aesthetics. These works nod to power dressing—but through the lens of texture, cultural history, and reclamation.
Second-Hand Reimagined
Among her most quietly radical pieces is a dress born from thrifting. “I bought this dress second-hand. It was a bargain and an amazing canvas to work on.” Once ankle-length and unassuming, it’s now layered in waves of blonde synthetic hair, transforming into a shimmering, almost mythic garment. It’s a poetic gesture—an object reborn, both sustainable and sublime.
Bundles of Paradise: Hair, Unbound
Her most expansive work to date, Bundles of Paradise, is a full collection of clothing and accessories crafted entirely from synthetic hair. Think sculptural chokers made from neon twists, corsets built from rainbow plaits, and bags that could double as altarpieces. It’s bright, bold, and unapologetically maximalist.
The name riffs on beauty-supply slang—“bundles”—and the sense of joy and excess that comes with turning something utilitarian into something transcendent. Each piece is a love letter to Black hair culture, but also an invitation to everyone to rethink what fabric can be, and what fashion can express.
What’s Next: Hair Umbrellas and Monumental Visions
Akhuetie’s ambitions stretch far beyond fashion. She’s currently working on new installations, expanding into furniture, and even designing umbrellas made from hair. The goal isn’t just to make a statement—but to create new languages of texture, touch, and identity.
Hair, in her world, is not a finishing touch—it’s the foundation.
Final Threads
Taiba Akhuetie is reframing beauty, one strand at a time. Her work bridges aesthetics and identity, tradition and innovation, fashion and fine art. Whether it’s a sculpted suit or a braided slide, each piece is a reminder that identity can be worn, stitched, transformed—and above all, celebrated.
So the next time you see a skirt made of curls or a tie made of twists, you’ll know: the hair revolution is already happening. And it’s wearable art.
