Stylist Boogy Maboi's dramatic braids stretch to her knees.
They're almost as dramatic as the spectacular braids that have been worn by the Mbalantu women of northern Namibia for centuries - which reach down to their ankles.
"Long braids have become my natural hairstyle and I don't see myself doing anything else," said Maboi.
Black, female and hair: one cannot use these three words in the same sentence without alluding to politics and identity.
In the past the treatment of black hair was used as a weapon to break and subjugate people. Slaves in the American South were made to cover their heads with wraps to hide their hair.
In Africa, some colonisers forced Africans to shave their heads to eliminate the bold hairstyles that marked them out as belonging to a particular group. These hairstyles identified class, age, religion, ethnicity and other signifiers of the wearer's social and economical status.
The Mbalantu plaits are known as Eembuvi and require attention from a young age to reach that length. Girls from the age of 12 cover their hair in thick layers of finely ground tree bark and oils - a mixture said to be the secret to growing their hair to such lengths. Later, sinews are attached to lengthen their braids even further.
The way the braids are worn symbolises the status of the woman or girl. They are woven into thick plaits during their initiation ceremony. Later they are tied up in elaborate styles.Social media has been flooded with young, trendy women emulating traditional African hairstyles, a nod to their sisters on the continent. The Instagram stylistas add their own creativity by giving tradition a contemporary twist.
Hair chameleon
Using hashtags such as Queening, BlackGirlHair, AfricanCrown and Braided, they have literally gone back to their roots, inspired by women from countries across the continent.
Influencer and stylist Kwena Baloyi loves to emulate different iconic African hairstyles.
"I was called the hair chameleon and I'm living up to my name," she laughed.
She recently wore a hairstyle inspired by Himba women in Namibia, who fashion their braids using red ochre and butter with a ball or tassel at the tip.
The trendsetter didn't go as far as the ochre and butter, but she reproduced the shape of the braids. Toilet-brush bristles were used to shape the balls at the end.
Baloyi said her style was influenced by traditions that stood for something.
"We're more confident about our blackness and when you know where you come from, you'll know where you're going."
Another spectacular hairstyle Baloyi has worn was one with a circular crest inspired by the late Miriam Makeba.
"As a young black girl I feel strongly about our past legends and through my hairstyles we are simply honouring them."She was powerful, she fought and stood for truth and spoke it too."
Status beads
Makeba's style was in turn inspired by the hairstyles of the Fulani women of West Africa after she and her husband Stokely Carmichael quit the US and moved to Guinea in the 1970s.
Her marriage to the Black Panther activist precipitated a decline in her career, and at the age of 36 Makeba found herself dropped by her label and having shows and tours cancelled.
Many African cultures display extraordinary beadworking skills, creating clothing and objects that usually symbolise their status within the community.
Inspired by the artistry of the beadwork of the Nguni people and ancient Egyptians, Nondumiso Qba Nkosi has created wigs called Bedoo (pronounced "bead do") that are quickly becoming statement pieces. They are made entirely from beads.
"It is important for me to create something that speaks to self-love for all Africans and relates to our heritage," she said.
Ncumisa Mimi Duma, based in Johannesburg's Maboneng Precinct, is the creative force behind many of the hairstyles inspired by the past.
"I get inspiration from my surroundings and stories the older generations tell about their times and experiences," she said.
"The client gives me an idea and I add my signature to the style."
Some of the more intricate designs take up to 12 hours to create.
International stars such as Beyoncé also acknowledge inspiration from Africa.The US superstar's striking hairdo on Lemonade imitates the style of the Mangbetu women of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Mangbetu women wrap their babies' heads tightly in cloth to develop an elongated shape, which denotes a person of high status in the community.
In the US it was Marcus Garvey who urged followers to embrace their natural hair in the 1920s.
Slavery ended in 1865 but "good" hair - hair that emulated white styles - became a prerequisite for entering certain schools, churches, social groups and business networks.
Last year US artist Shani Crowe almost crashed the internet when Braids, her spectacular photographic portrait series interpreting African braiding styles, went viral.
For her, braids "shed the need to conform to European standards of beauty".
Crowe follows in the footsteps of photographer JD 'Okhai Ojeikere, who documented about 1,000 Nigerian hairdos to preserve the history of West African hair trends.
And now young stylistas are doing their bit to preserve the traditions...