Miss Coast Coast The competition prohibits baroque and weaving to enhance natural hair and beauty

Long and flowing baroes and accessories for the platform dominated the famous beauty competitions in Ivory Coast for years.

A contestants in West Africa often spend a large amount of money on their appearance, from clothes to hair – with a very few choosing the natural appearance.

In more than six decades, there was only two noticeable exceptions, the last of which was Marilyn Kanye, who won the title of Miss Ivory Coast in 2022 – and he looks brilliant with her short natural hair, and the crown became more uniform.

Its victory was not only unusual in the Ivory Coast, but all over the world, as the standards of Western beauty are often the required appearance of those who enter competitions and judges.

Changes are slowly rolling – last December, Angelik Angerani Fellapon, from the French island of Martinick, occupied newspapers when she crowned Miss France, mainly because of her 34 -year -old age – and she was wearing short short hair.

But this year, the organizers of the Idori competition shake things from the beginning.

The baroes, weaving and hair accessories were banned from the initial stages of the competition, which are held in 13 cities across the country (as well as two abroad for those in the diaspora).

“We want the candidates to be normal – whether it is with braids or stable hair, their property must be. Beauty must be raw,” Victor Yapopi, Chairman of the Miss Ivory Car Organizational Committee, told the BBC.

Ivory Coast is the only African country that imposes a ban on national competition.

Mr. Yaboubi said that the organizers in the Ivory Coast have been trying for a long time to encourage a more natural appearance – for example plastic surgery is the lack of lightening of the skin.

“We decided this year to really show the natural beauty of these young women,” he said.

Other changes have also been implemented, such as allowing shorter women to compete – the minimum is now 1.67 million (5.4 feet), which increases the age by three years to 28 – – mainly – reduce entry fees by more than $ 30 (25 pounds) to $ 50.

“This change in the standards is that we noticed that these young women were putting a lot of money to participate, and it became a little budget.”

When the BBC joined the first preliminary competition in Dalwa, the main city in the western region in Hot Sandra, she felt an overwhelming happiness than the new rules – and felt that she gave her a better chance of success because she preferred not to wear wig.

“I would like to see other girls with artificial long hair, and they seem to be very beautiful,” 21 -year -old Emmanuella Dali told BBC.

“This rule gives me more pride as a woman – as an African woman.”

This step, which aims to celebrate natural African beauty, sparked a vital discussion throughout the country, as the wigs and accessories are popular.

As a fashion option, many women love creativity that allows wig and weaving. It also serves as the so -called “protection method”, which means reducing daily clouds and clouds on hair that can cause fracture.

This was reflected by some of the contestants in Dalua who felt that the rule removed the element of personal expression.

“I am a fans of the Baroque. I love wig,” said the contestant and makeup artist Astraid Minico. The 24 -year -old informed BBC that she was initially shocked by an unimaginable share.

“I didn’t expect this rule! But now? I love my hair, and that’s good.”

The new rule has made competitors more thinking about the concepts of beauty – changed some opinions, such as the opinions of Laetitia Mououfie.

“Last year, I had extensions because I thought this was what beauty means,” the 25 -year -old told the BBC.

“This year, I feel more confident to be.”

If the competition affects positions outside the competition world, it may have huge economic implications.

The price of wigs can range from human hair, which can last for years if it is taken care of properly, from an estimated $ 200 to $ 4000, while this synthetic cost between 10 to 300 dollars.

The value of the Ivory Coast hair industry is more than $ 300, as it constitutes a wig and weaving a large share of this market.

“This rule is not good for us,” said Angie C, a 30 -year -old hairdresser in Dalwa, to the BBC.

“Many women love the baroes. This will harm our business and gain more money when working with bars and weaving.”

In its salon, GLUE will be used to carefully connect the baroque to make them look more natural and women will spend hours of tissues and additions.

It shows the depth of a borrowed culture of poetry in West Africa, despite the natural movement of hair that is gaining momentum among black women around the world over the past decade.

Natural hair products have become more easily available and the effects of natural hair on social media around the world with advice on how natural hair management and style, which can take a long time.

It was unprofessional to wear a person’s hair naturally, and it was unusual to see black TV stars on the screen or chief executives in the meeting hall with natural hair.

According to Florence Eduig Nanga, a hair and scalp specialist in the main Idjan city of Abidjan, this is still the case in Ivory Coast.

“Run the TV (here), and you will see every journalist wearing almost wig,” the BBC told the BBC.

“These improvements are modern beauty, but they can also cause problems – such as scalp infections or scalp.”

With the ongoing initial tours, the arguments about whether the competitions should put the rules of beauty or women must decide such things themselves.

The result may be that there is more than the acceptance of both Ivory Coast, allowing women to switch patterns – between natural hair, wigs and weaving.

Mr. Yaboubi said that the reactions he received on the new rules were “unusual” and clearly showed that it had an impact.

“Everyone congratulates us. Everyone, even from outside. I receive email messages and WhatsApp messages from everywhere congratulate us on his desire to return to our roots.”

He said that no decision was taken on whether the wig’s ban would apply to the fifteen contestants who reached the Miss Ivory 2025 final.

This splendor will be held in a hotel in Abidjan at the end of June and will be broadcast on national television.

“If it succeeds, we will continue and continue in this initiative in the coming years.”

For the Korah Doriya, which was named Miss Sassandra, her crown is more important: “Winning natural hair shows the true beauty of African women.”

Mrs. Daly said that she was walking with something more valuable – self -confidence: “I did not win, but I feel proud. This is what I am.”

Sherch additional reports by the BBC Nicholas Negos and Nawil Ibrin Pro in Abidjan.