No Shortcuts to a Masterpiece

How Nneka Allison is turning "Ghetto Fabulous" history into avant-garde art.

One of the key things I wanted to achieve when starting Curl Coalition was to platform the many unsung heroes in the textured hair industry, here in the UK. So, I thought I’m going to jump on the Substack bandwagon and share the stories of creatives that I admire. And thus, The Coalition Tapes was born. In each article, I sit down (digitally) with a creative making their mark in the textured hair industry. Some days it will be a stylist, some days it will be an educator and other days it may be the PR plug making sure we’re getting our mitts on the best products for our tresses.

For our launch edition, I caught up with HoochTeeStyles founder Nneka Allison. London-raised and Birmingham-based, Nneka is the stylist flying the flag for the 90s aesthetic. Think dancehall-inspired with a current twist. Make sure you subscribe to our posts so you don’t miss this exciting series…

Curl Coalition: You have carved out a very specific lane: The 90s. While everyone else is obsessed with “natural/effortless” looks, you went the opposite way – structured, stiff, colourful and architectural. Why did you decide to resurrect this specific era?

Nneka Allison: For me I’ve always been a person of authenticity going back to my early teenage years. When I started HoochTeeStyles I had a brief look at where the hair industry was and although it has always been creative on the editorial side, day to day looks have become so boring and repetitive. With that being said I’ve always looked at my older generation as my inspiration and individuality to hair and beauty. I’ve been very strict in keeping true to myself and my brand by only doing creative hairstyles with a touch of current.

CC: Your work isn’t just styling; it’s engineering. You create loops, fans and towers that defy gravity. Can you talk about the physics of these styles? What is the hardest part about making hair stand up and stay there?

NA: I think there’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to creating hair that can stay up and structured. I’m a big believer in whatever method works for you works best. With that being said method is a key part in all my hairstyles, along with using the products correctly. I think a lot of people would be surprised when I share that certain hairstyles I’ve created have only used one to two products and a comb or a brush – it’s all about patience.

CC: In the 90s, these bold, colourful, structural styles were often dismissed by the mainstream as “ghetto.” Now, they are being celebrated as high fashion and editorial. Do you feel like your work is a form of reclaiming that narrative?

NA: I definitely do. Yes! I think from what I’ve seen with a lot of these mainstream or high fashion brands is that they either take a part, or take the whole idea, of the ‘ghetto fabulous’ aesthetic. But I strongly feel that a lot of the time they don’t give full credit to the originators. The day-to-day ladies, the old-school hairstylists – they don’t get the recognition they deserve. Here at HoochTeeStyles, I wanted to make sure that for all inspiration taken, the correct hairstyle names are taught. That plays a big part in keeping nostalgic hairstyles relevant.

CC: You aren’t afraid of colour. A lot of textured hair education teaches us to be scared of colour (damage, breakage etc). How do you balance maintaining the hair’s health with these high-impact visual looks?

NA: Well, for starters, I like to take this back to the 90s. A lot of colourful hairstyles were done with weaves or wigs. Back then, blonde was very much ‘in’ for natural textured hair, and the only way to achieve that look was bleaching your textured hair. Fast forward, and we have progressed a lot in finding different ways to achieve the more adventurous colours. Most of my colourful hairstyles are done using quick weaves or frontal wigs, whilst still keeping the final look natural and wearable. This way, I’m able to keep my clients’ natural hair healthy.

CC: Your references are deep. You aren’t just copying Pinterest; you’re pulling from old Black Hair magazines, Hype Hair and 90s music videos. Where do you find your inspiration? Do you have a physical archive of old references?

NA: It’s funny you asked this. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you a lot of my inspiration is from memory. I remember moments of watching a music video or a TV show, or seeing a lady walking down the street when I was a child and thinking, ‘OMG, I love her hair.’ Or even simply watching old-school movies and taking inspiration from that. I think Pinterest is great, but it doesn’t give the hairstyles justice in terms of creativity. There have only been about two nostalgic pages that I follow on social media that really grasp the raw hairstyles I look for when it comes to inspiration. The downside about back in the day is that there was no social media, so everything came from either word of mouth or VHS videos – and that’s where the gold is, in my opinion.

CC: Some of your creations are avant-garde sculptures. How do you manage the conversation with a client who wants a “viral” look but needs it to last for 3 weeks of real life?

NA: So, in all honesty, I have to make it known that my avant-garde sculptures will not last three weeks for day-to-day wear. These are what I call a ‘one-day style,’ or specifically for photoshoots. It’s just not possible to keep these hairstyles up to the standard I would like for that long. That is, unless a client was to ask for a pre-made wig, which could last for as long as you maintain it with the correct advice and care.

CC: In an era of “fast beauty,” structural hair takes time to mould, dry and set. Do you find clients have the patience for the process of this art form, or are they surprised by the time it takes to build a masterpiece?

NA: I think when doing my consultations with my clients, I always make them aware that I don’t and cannot rush these masterpieces. So if a style takes up to 5 hours, then that’s what the duration is. Unlike more of the toned-down, natural hairstyles – where you probably could create shortcuts for yourself to achieve the same great look – with a HoochTeeStyles look, there are no shortcuts. One shortcut could potentially ruin the final result. Luckily, my supporters and clients understand my craft, which helps me not feel as pressured to rush these looks. I’m also a perfectionist, so I would never let my client leave until I’m happy with the final look.

CC: The current industry is dominated by the ‘Unclockable Lace’ and the ‘Natural Wave.’ You chose to go completely against the grain with a highly specific aesthetic. What is the drawback of creating your own lane? Does it make it harder to fill a schedule compared to doing “safe” styles?

NA: Yes, I do think it’s harder in a sense of creating that momentum of regular clients in the UK. I find the ladies over here are a lot more conservative with their everyday looks. However, there is a minority of people who are creative, bold, and unapologetic with their looks. Sometimes it takes a while for those people to find me on social media, but now – nearly 2 years into opening HoochTeeStyles – I can say I am getting the exposure I deserve.

I do think, though, that HoochTeeStyles is more of a creative house, so my looks most likely do well in editorial, special events, and projects. I think if I had gone down the route of doing simple sew-ins or simple frontal wig installs, I probably would have had a quicker momentum of regular clients. But then I would have been like 5,000 other stylists, and that’s not what HoochTeeStyles is about. So, I guess you can say the cost of being in your own lane is a slower come-up, but it’s all worth it in the end.

CC: Structural hair has a mind of its own. Tell us about a style that humbled you. A time you tried to create a shape or a tower, and gravity just said “No.” How did you save it?

CC: In this industry, we talk about “paying dues.” Tell us about a time you stood on business. Whether it was firing a client who didn’t respect the art or refusing to lower your price for a “collaboration.” What was the lesson?

NA: Luckily, there haven’t been many experiences like that. However, due to my specific niche, I do get a lot of other creatives asking for collaborations. Whilst I don’t mind doing collaborations, they need to be in alignment with my brand. I’m very big on equal effort on both sides; otherwise, it makes no sense. It can’t be a situation where they are gaining more from it than I am.

There have been a few times I’ve been asked to do collaborations, and looking at their page, they don’t have a large catalogue of work, they have a small following, or simply they just want to leave all the creative direction to me. At that point, I have always said ‘no’ based on that. I’ve been open for nearly 2 years now, and my portfolio has become very strong. Each time I’ve done publications, worked with celebs, or done photoshoots, my value has grown larger. So, I won’t be used as a stepping stone for any brand or creative. I knew my value from the start, and I like to stand on that.

All images courtesy of Nneka Allison (@hoochteestyles)