Celebrity Style
Wunmi Mosaku Honours African Heritage with Braided Hair and Bold Jewelry for Glamour UK Cover
Wunmi Mosaku appears on the latest cover of Glamour UK in a photo story that draws on African heritage through hair, jewellery, and clothing. The British-Nigerian actress, known for her roles in Lovecraft Country and the most nominated film in Oscar history, Sinners, is photographed in a series of portraits that highlight braided hairstyles and strong metal jewellery.
Ekua King captures Mosaku against warm studio tones that keep the focus on the clothes and hair. Her braids were styled by Dionne Smith, and shaped into six braided loops, two large loops at the top and two smaller ones at each side of her face, near the temples. The hairstyle draws from long-standing Yoruba braiding traditions, known as Irun Kiko, where hair is often styled in intricate patterns that carry cultural significance.
Ekua King
Creative stylist Georgia Medley presents Mosaku in a selection of textured garments paired with bold jewellery. In one portrait, she wears a wide white attire with long black earrings and a structured headpiece. Another image centres on a stacked metal neck ring known as Dzilla, which is worn close to the collarbone, a type of neck ring inspired by similar styles found in multiple cultural traditions, including the Ndebele and Kayan peoples.
Ekua King
The editorial also moves through darker and brighter tones, where other portraits show Mosaku in a sheer black dress that falls loosely over the body, creating a light layered shape. In another full-length image, she wears a lime green hooded robe with a high slit that reveals one leg as she stands barefoot on an earth-toned set. Thick gold bangles line her forearms while the fabric hangs freely around the body.
Ekua King
Set designer Joshua Stovell keeps the background simple with clay-coloured ground and soft walls, allowing the materials like fabric, braids, and metal to stand out.
Makeup artist Joy Adenuga keeps Mosaku’s skin smooth with a deep lip colour that gives the portraits a strong finish. Nail artist Tinu Bello completes the beauty details with dark burgundy nails that work well with the gold jewellery and warm tones used across the shoot.
The shoot was produced in London by Raw Production under the editorial direction of Kemi-Olivia Alemoru. Behind-the-scenes footage was filmed by Nathaniel Rodriguez and edited by Celia Gomez.
Across the images, braids and metal jewellery act as cultural markers, linking the fashion story to traditions that have long shaped African identity.
