Visionary hairstylist Issac Poleon shares 5 groundbreaking hair looks

From 60s sculpted beehives to avant-garde snake braids, gigantic afros, and gravity-defying ponytails – London-based hair stylist Issac Poleon has centred his career around championing Black beauty. “I believe Black hair’s power comes from its versatility and ability to defy gravity – the power of a healthy ‘fro is unstoppable,” he previously told Dazed Beauty. 

At 17 years-old, Poleon got his start at a salon in Battersea after a period of uncertainty in life. Since then, the fashion and music stylist has worked to spread education and inclusivity of Black hair through his work at fashion brands including Rihanna’s Fenty, Mowalola, Gareth Pugh and with creatives like Campbell Addy, Ib Kamara, and Kelsey Lu. 

Poleon also recently closed up his first hair residency at Browns’ The Parlor, where he provided customers with creative consultations and constructed custom hair treatments ranging from styled extensions to luxe up-dos. Using his specialisation in Afro and European hair textures – the residency created a non-restrictive space for people of different backgrounds to receive creative hair care.

The residency follows Browns’ previous partnership with natural skincare and fragrance label Hæckels, which featured bespoke facials for a limited time – alongside Browns’ usual offerings of its immersive Focus Room experiences and its zero-waste in-house restaurant, Native at Browns.

Swipe through below to hear about five of Poleon’s most groundbreaking hair looks.