Check out the Lineup for the Braiders' Brunch 2026 by Braids Gang...

Braids Gang's The Braiders Brunch returns to London's Motel Studios on July 25, 2026, as a sold-out networking event for textured hairstylists with live demos and brand experiences. It is an intentional, education-led gathering to celebrate and elevate professional braiders, locticians, and textured hair specialists across the UK.

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Meet Gabriella Anderson, CEO & Founder of Braids Gang and the visionary behind the Braiders' Brunch. Gabriella founded Braids Gang with a clear mission: to champion braiders and textured hair professionals by creating greater visibility, meaningful opportunities and lasting recognition for the community.

She'll take to the stage as founder and moderator of The Braiders' Brunch 2026, leading two of the day's headline conversations alongside an incredible lineup of industry leaders, experts and creatives.

This year's theme is

Textured Futures - Innovation, Identity & Industry Power.

Brookemorgan is the official host of the Braiders' Brunch 2026.

An award-winning presenter and Ones to Watch 2026 honoree, Brookemorgan is known for her bold, authentic approach to hosting conversations that matter.

With sharp instinct, emotional intelligence and her signature Neuro Spicy approach, she has built a reputation for creating space for honest dialogue, meaningful connections and unforgettable conversations.

Official DJ of the occasion, DJ Reckless will be bringing the soundtrack and keeping the energy up with a curated mix of Afrobeats, Amapiano, 90s R&B, Hip-Hop, Soca, UK Garage and a range of feel-good music.

The 2026 educational lineup brings back core expertise and drops heavy knowledge across two main flagship panel segments:

The Visibility & Opportunity panel focuses entirely on the money, the tools, and digital scaling.

The Avant-Garde Hair showcase focuses on the creativity, mastery and innovation possible in the field of braiding with experts on the lineup to give in-person insights and what that looks like in reality.

On the Visibility & Opportunity Panel is Erica Castro, a celebrity braider who spent three years building her craft in the United States and expanded to Europe with an even bigger vision.

Today, she is the founder of a beautiful, luxury salon and café in Lisbon. She has also launched her own hair range, and continues to inspire through her creativity, entrepreneurship and unwavering faith.

Erica will share what she's learned from building an internationally recognized brand, creating opportunities beyond the chair, expanding into new markets, and transforming passion into a thriving business.

This year's creative theme for the Avant-Garde Hair Showcase explores The Four Elements - Earth, Air, Fire and Water.

Each artist has been invited to interpret one or more of the four elements through textured hair, creating a collection of original works that celebrate imagination, innovation and the limitless possibilities of the braiding craft.

Textured hair specialist, hair artist and trainee trichologist, Yayra Azumah is one of the featured artists on the Avant-Garde Hair Showcase.

Yayra, whose work celebrates culture, creativity and innovation, is known for pushing the boundaries of hair design through bold, sculptural creations that fuse braids, locs, movement, engineering and artistic expression.

Working across fashion, editorial projects and live showcases, she has built a reputation for creating work that challenges expectations while celebrating the versatility and beauty of textured hair .

An international Fashion Hairstylist based in Paris, Anne- Cécile has worked alongside some of the fashion industry's most respected hairstylists, contributing to editorial and fashion projects for globally recognized brands including Louis Vuitton, British Vogue, Jacquemus, Kenzo, Nike, Lancôme and many more!

Driven by a deep-curiosity for texture, craftsmanship and creative expression x Anne-Cécile continues to develop an artistic language that is entirely her own- one where hair becomes a medium for storytelling, emotion and identity.