Miss Ivory Coast pageant bans wigs and weaves to advertise pure hair and sweetness

Lengthy, flowing wigs and weave extensions have dominated the catwalks of Ivory Coast’s massively widespread magnificence pageants for years.

Contestants within the West African nation typically spend an enormous amount of cash on their look, from outfits to hairdos – with only a few selecting the pure look.

In additional than six many years, there have solely been two notable exceptions, the latest was Marlène-Kany Kouassi, who took the Miss Ivory Coast title in 2022 – trying resplendent along with her quick pure hair, the crown changing into her solely adornment.

Her victory was not solely uncommon in Ivory Coast however the world over, the place Western magnificence requirements are sometimes the specified look each for these getting into contests and for the judges.

Modifications are slowly creeping in – final December Angélique Angarni-Filopon, from the French Caribbean island of Martinique, made headlines when she was topped Miss France, primarily due to her age – she is 34 – and she or he additionally sported quick Afro hair.

However this yr the organisers of the Ivorian competitors are shaking issues up proper from the beginning.

Wigs, weaves and hair extensions have been banned from the preliminary levels of the competitors, that are held in 13 cities throughout the nation (in addition to two overseas for these within the diaspora).

“We wish the candidates to be pure – whether or not with braids or straightened hair, it needs to be their very own. Magnificence have to be uncooked,” Victor Yapobi, president of the Miss Ivory Coast organising committee, informed the BBC.

Ivory Coast is the one African nation implementing the ban for a nationwide competitors.

Mr Yapobi stated the organisers in Ivory Coast had lengthy been attempting to advertise a extra pure look – for instance beauty surgical procedure is a no-no and pores and skin lightening is frowned upon.

“We determined this yr to actually showcase the pure magnificence of those younger girls,” he stated.

Different adjustments have additionally been carried out, like permitting barely shorter girls to compete – the minimal is now 1.67m (5.4ft), growing the age by three years to twenty-eight and – crucially – decreasing the doorway payment by greater than $30 (£25) to $50.

“This modification in standards is as a result of we noticed these younger girls had been placing up some huge cash to take part, and it was changing into a little bit of a price range drain.”

When the BBC joined the primary preliminary pageant in Daloa, the principle metropolis within the western area of Haut-Sassandra, one contestant was overjoyed by the brand new guidelines – feeling it gave her a greater probability of success as she prefers to not put on wigs.

“I’d see different women with lengthy, synthetic hair, and so they regarded so lovely,” 21-year-old Emmanuella Dali, an actual property agent, informed the BBC.

“This rule offers me extra satisfaction as a lady – as an African girl.”

The transfer aimed toward celebrating pure African magnificence has sparked a vigorous debate throughout the nation, the place wigs and extensions are widespread.

As a trend selection, many ladies love the creativity that wigs and weaves enable them. Additionally they function what is known as “protecting type”, which suggests minimising the day by day pulling and tugging on hair that may trigger breakages.

This was mirrored by some contestants in Daloa who felt the rule eliminated a component of private expression.

“I am a wigs fan. I like wigs,” stated contestant and make-up artist Astrid Menekou. The 24-year-old informed the BBC she was initially shocked by the no-wig, no-extensions stipulation.

“I did not anticipate this rule! However now? I like my hair, and that is OK.”

The brand new rule has made the opponents suppose extra about ideas of magnificence – and adjusted some opinions, like these of Laetitia Mouroufie.

“Final yr, I had extensions as a result of I assumed that is what magnificence meant,” the 25-year-old scholar informed the BBC.

“This yr, I really feel extra assured being myself.”

Ought to the competitors affect attitudes past the pageant world, it may have enormous financial implications.

Wigs from human hair, which might final for years if cared for correctly, can vary in value from an estimated $200 to $4,000, whereas artificial ones value round $10 to $300.

Ivory Coast’s hair trade is price greater than $300m a yr, with wigs and weaves making up a big share of that market.

“This rule just isn’t good for us,” Ange Sea, a 30-year-old hairdresser in Daloa, informed the BBC.

“Many ladies love wigs. It will damage our enterprise and we make more cash when working with wigs and weaves.”

At her salon, glue will probably be used to fastidiously connect wigs to make them look extra pure and ladies will spend hours having weaves and extensions put in.

It reveals how deeply engrained wig tradition is in West Africa, regardless of a pure hair motion that has been gaining momentum amongst black girls all over the world over the past decade.

Pure hair merchandise have grow to be far more available and pure hair influencers proliferate on social media worldwide with recommendation on the right way to handle and magnificence pure hair, which could be time-consuming.

It was thought of unprofessional to put on one’s hair naturally and it might have been extraordinary to see black feminine TV stars on display screen or CEOs within the boardroom with pure hair.

Based on Florence Edwige Nanga, a hair and scalp specialist in the principle Ivorian metropolis of Abidjan, that is typically nonetheless the case in Ivory Coast.

“Activate the TV [here], and you may see virtually each journalist sporting a wig,” the trichologist informed the BBC.

“These magnificence enhancements are modern, however they’ll additionally trigger issues – like alopecia or scalp infections,” she warned.

With the preliminary rounds underneath method, arguments over whether or not pageants needs to be setting magnificence guidelines or girls ought to determine such issues for themselves continues.

The result could also be that there’s extra of an acceptance of each in Ivory Coast, permitting girls to modify types up – between pure hair and wigs and weaves.

Mr Yapobi stated the suggestions he had obtained over the brand new guidelines was “extraordinary” and clearly confirmed it was having an influence.

“Everybody congratulates us. Everybody, even from overseas. I obtain emails and WhatsApp messages from in all places congratulating us for desirous to return to our roots.”

He stated no choice had been taken about whether or not the wig ban would apply to the 15 contestants who make it to the ultimate of Miss Ivory Coast 2025.

This extravaganza will happen at a lodge in Abidjan on the finish of June and will probably be broadcast on nationwide TV.

“If it really works, we’ll proceed and keep on this initiative within the years to come back,” Mr Yapobi stated.

For Doria Koré, who went on to be named Miss Haut-Sassandra, her crown holds much more significance: “Successful with pure hair reveals the true fantastic thing about African girls.”

Ms Dali stated she was strolling away with one thing much more worthwhile – self-confidence: “I did not win, however I really feel proud. That is who I’m.”

Extra reporting by the BBC’s Nicolas Negoce and Noel Ebrin Brou in Abidjan.