What happens when centuries-old beauty traditions meet high fashion? You get South Africa’s living heritage in action. As local celebrities bring cultural braids, beads, and traditional headwear to global runways and red carpets, they’re showing that our roots are still our greatest fashion statement.
Under the 2026 Heritage Month theme, “Celebrating Our Living Heritage: Strengthening the Ties That Bind Us,” South Africa reflects on its traditions. One of the most deeply personal ways culture is passed down through generations is through hair.
The history behind South African hairstyles
Before Western beauty standards influenced black hair practices in South Africa played an important role in how people presented themselves and expressed their identity.
Different cultural groups developed their own practices, with hair, clothing, adornment and other forms of appearance often working together to communicate cultural identity.
For example, we have the Isicholo, traditionally associated with Zulu women, and it became one of the most recognisable forms of Zulu hair and headwear.
When heritage meets modern beauty
While some traditional hairstyles have retained their cultural meaning, others have evolved as they have been adopted into everyday beauty and fashion.
Modern hairstylists can take elements such as intricate parting, braiding, knots, beads and sculptural shapes and reinterpret them into contemporary styles.
The result is a new generation of hairstyles that can feel both familiar and experimental because cornrows can now be arranged into geometric patterns, braids can become sculptural accessories, and traditional-inspired adornments can be incorporated into editorial looks.
Rather than simply reproducing historical hairstyles, this approach allows women to take elements of their cultural heritage and make them their own.
Sho Madjozi puts Tsonga culture on the fashion map
Another South African celebrity who demonstrates how heritage can influence contemporary beauty and fashion is Sho Madjozi.
The musician has made her Tsonga heritage an integral part of her visual identity, incorporating traditional references into her clothing, performances and hair.
Her colourful braids, beads and cornrows often work alongside her interpretation of Tsonga fashion, creating a look that feels distinctly contemporary while remaining connected to her cultural background.
Her approach showcases how heritage does not have to remain frozen in its original form.
It can be adapted, experimented with and brought into new spaces while still maintaining a connection to where it comes from.
Her use of bright colours, beads and culturally influenced braiding is particularly relevant to the modern beauty conversation because it shows how traditional references can become part of a celebrity’s signature aesthetic rather than simply being reserved for cultural ceremonies.
Nomzamo Mbatha brought traditional hairstyles to the red carpet
Mbatha is another example of how traditional hairstyles can move between historical storytelling and contemporary fashion.
At the “Shaka iLembe” season two premiere, she incorporated a dramatic Zulu-inspired hairpiece into her look, bringing elements of the series’ historical world onto a modern red carpet.
Mbatha has described hair as a powerful storytelling tool and has spoken about using it to communicate where and when a character exists.
She is also known for experimenting with dramatic shapes and sculptural hairstyles on red carpets, demonstrating how cultural references can be translated into fashion-forward beauty looks.
It is an example of how traditional references can be transformed into something editorial and fashion-forward without losing their connection to South African history.
Simphiwe Dana made Afrocentric hairstyles part of her signature
When it comes to South African celebrities who have consistently made Afrocentric hairstyles part of their visual identity, few are as recognisable as singer and songwriter Simphiwe Dana.
For years, Dana has experimented with dramatic Afros, intricate braids, sculptural updos and hairstyles decorated with traditional-inspired accessories.
Her looks often feel less like conventional beauty trends and more like wearable art, with her hair becoming an extension of her music, fashion and African identity.
From towering sculptural hairstyles to braided looks adorned with cowrie shells, Dana has continued to embrace hairstyles that celebrate African aesthetics.
What makes Dana particularly relevant to the conversation around heritage is the consistency of her approach. Her hairstyles are not simply occasional nods to African culture; they have become an important part of her artistic image.
From cultural hairstyle to runway inspiration
The fashion industry’s growing interest in textured hair has also created space for traditional South African techniques to be interpreted through a high-fashion lens.
These looks derive their power from bridging past and present, combining cultural references with contemporary silhouettes, scale, and styling.
Understanding their origins is crucial; preserving cultural context prevents rich histories from getting lost when culturally significant hairstyles become global fashion trends.
kamogelo.makhura@nationalmg.co.za