Making the Durag High Fashion

The durag is seen as a symbol of ‘black life, self-preservation, resistance and authenticity” according to British Vogue Editor-in-Chief, Edward Enninful.

This week, the publication of this month's British Vogue (with two different covers BTW) has changed history - with Rihanna becoming the first woman to ever feature on a British Vogue cover whilst wearing a drag. I've spoken about my love and admiration for Rihanna before here, and again it is just ever growing after her interview in this magazine edition.

A durag is a ‘cap’ typically worn to accelerate the development of waves, braids or dreadlocks in the hair. They are also used to keep wave patterns and styled hair from shifting while sleeping. Originally, they were worn by African American women labourers and slaves in the 19th century. During Harlem Renaissance and the Great Depression in the 1930s, they were used to keep hairstyles in position. This quickly shifted though, as in the late 1960s, after the Black Power Movement, the durag became somewhat of a fashion statement – typically worn by rappers, athletes and men of all ages. Schools even tried to ban them by saying they didn’t comply with their dress codes???

By the early 2000s, popularity of wearing a durag in public was lost, however due to current rappers like A$AP Ferg renewing the popularity of waves, they have made a comeback. Today they are worn by all genders and races as both a way to maintain hairstyles, and as a fashion statement.

When I first saw Rihanna’s May 2020 cover shoot with British Vogue, I noticed the durag immediately. Of course, who else other than Rihanna could bring the durag into high fashion, just. like. that? She has always stood for empowering herself and her heritage, and Enninful describes the shoot as something to broadcast “Rihanna for a new decade”. And well, here she is (at long last!!). I love how she is here to ever-empower black women, and this I think is a strong statement look – blending femininity and masculinity together, creating a very non-binary yet beautiful and captivating look. She appears confident, mature and powerful, essentially portraying this ‘new Rihanna’ look as maybe a more mature, and lowkey character, after the crazy world wind of making music and partying she grew up with, to now becoming a leading business women in terms of her ventures with her clothing brand Fenty, underwear brand Savage X Fenty, and her beauty collection Fenty Beauty.

This actually isn’t the first time she has brought the durag into the prism of high fashion though. Most glamorously, at the 2014 Council of Fashion Designers of America awards she paired a sheer, Swarovski encrusted Adam Selman dress with a crystal durag. Fast forward two years later, she opened the 2016 MTV VMA’s wearing a black and white design by Moses Gauntlett Cheng. It was here that Rihanna was channelling a certain type of 'black cool'. The net cap swooped low, instantly recognisable to her fans, and it was that same version of 'cool' that Rick Owens and Kylie Jenner tried to cash in on when they attempted to style the item.

To conclude, once again Rihanna is proving she is absolute queeeeen of our generation! 👸🏾

Mia

xo