Inside Echelon Noir’s First Fashion Week Dinner

“Black creatives drive innovation and trends in the beauty industry,” says Jawara Wauchope, a celebrity hair stylist and co-founder of Echelon Noir, a production company elevating Black voices in beauty and voices. “But we are often underrepresented in leadership, brand partnerships, and spaces of recognition,” Creative Director and Echelon Noir co-founder Jarrod Lacks adds. That said, a few months after their debut “Black Hair Reimagined” runway show, hosted by Tracee Ellis Ross, the duo blessed the community yet again with a celebration to close NYFW. Specifically, the dinner “was a way of honoring their impact, while creating a space and opportunity for creatives and brand partners to foster industry connections, build relationships, and to highlight emerging talent,” Jawara explains.

Industry experts—everyone from Allure’s Editor-In-Chief Jessica Cruel, to supermodel Precious Lee and Beyoncé’s makeup artist Sir John—gathered to mingle, dine, and uplift one another. As Wauchope states, “the energy in the room was undeniable.” Both Wauchope and Lacks loved seeing their vision come to life with: “we witnessed authentic conversation spark between creatives and brand leaders,” Lacks adds. But best of all? The joy. The room wassrc="https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/BHR-24-scaled.jpg" alt="Inside Echelon Noir’s First Fashion Week Dinner" width="400" height="225" />Photos courtesy of MALI POWELL.

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