A Roxbury Girl Makes Her Mark at Paris Fashion Week.

 

The first official Paris Fashion Week took place in October 1973, organized by the Fédération Française de la Couture. Both American and Parisian designers, including Anne Klein, Bill Blass, Stephen Burrows, Oscar de la Renta, Hubert de Givenchy, and Yves Saint Laurent, showcased their collections. At that time, the industry lacked Black designers and Black professionals in hair and makeup roles—an issue that has dramatically changed over the years. However, one thing has remained constant: Paris Fashion Week is still by invitation only. So, how does one get invited?

 

Hairstylist and Roxbury native Aleah Harrison received one of the coveted invites this year, transforming her life in ways she never imagined. But her journey to Paris Fashion Week started much earlier.

 

Harrison, a lover of all forms of art, initially pursued dance. However, due to the high cost of advanced dance lessons, she turned her focus to doing the hair of friends and family. As a teenager, her skills in hairdressing became lucrative, prompting her to pursue a cosmetology license. Massachusetts, with its rich history of cosmetology excellence, became her training ground, with legends like Olive Benson inspiring her. "If you’re talking hair and you’re from Massachusetts, you have to mention Olive Benson,” Harrison reflects.

 

After gaining experience at a salon in Newton, where she honed her skills in hair and grooming, Harrison caught the attention of a client—an actor—who asked if she was interested in working on film sets. The actor shared the struggle of finding talented stylists for Black actors, who often ended up with poorly styled wigs. This led Harrison to work on the Frederick Douglass documentary, followed by the Ellen Garrison story, using real hair instead of wigs.

 

As her reputation grew, Harrison became known as the go-to stylist who could handle any challenge quickly. During her time on film sets, she made valuable connections with younger colleagues, which eventually led to an invitation to work at New York Fashion Week. Unbeknownst to her, the team actually needed her in Paris.

 

When she received her ticket and itinerary, Harrison was confused—she thought she was going to New York. Laughing, she recalled, "I couldn’t read it! I’m like, where in New York is Charles de Gaulle Airport?" The team leader corrected her, explaining they were taking her to Paris, not New York. For Harrison, this was the realization of a dream. Upon arrival, she dove headfirst into the whirlwind of Paris Fashion Week, creating "crazy beautiful" avant-garde hairstyles, exactly the kind of work she had always dreamed of. At that moment, she knew her hard work had truly paid off.

 

Now a mother of two, Harrison is on the list to participate in Milan Fashion Week, New York Fashion Week, and, of course, Paris Fashion Week again next year.

 

Her advice to aspiring stylists is simple but powerful: "People get so comfortable at what they know, they don’t elevate themselves to learn anything else. Make sure you are well-rounded. No matter what school you attend, don’t limit yourself to just doing Black hair. You don’t have to be great at everything, but you do need to be able to do everything!"

 

Harrison also emphasized the importance of opportunity: "When you’re starting out, just because you’re not paid cash on a job, it doesn’t mean you aren’t being paid. The favor I did got me to Paris Fashion Week, and as they say, ‘The rest is herstory.’”