EAST LONDON, BUFFALO CITY – After previously introducing hair and beauty masterclasses and Eastern Cape fashion shows, entrepreneur Lwandy Ngebe is returning to the creative industry with a new venture that aims to take the traditional salon experience beyond the beauty chair.
Her latest initiative, the Hair & Beauty Creative Hub, is a multifunctional beauty and creative enterprise combining professional salon services with shared workspace, skills development, business support and opportunities for creative collaboration.
Unlike conventional salons focused primarily on hair and beauty treatments, the Hub brings together hairstyling, braids and twists, cornrows, colour treatments, undo and unplait services, bridal styling and trials, graduation and matric ball styles, engagement styles, wash and treatment services, dreadlocks, nails, beauty treatments and makeup.
But it is what happens beyond the salon chair that gives the concept its distinctive identity.
The establishment also offers shared workspace on daily, weekly and monthly arrangements; content creation and social media; brand collaborations; training and skills development; HR services including stylist placements and contracts;
mentorship and business support; business compliance assistance; and business plan and funding application support.
The vision is to create an environment where emerging hairstylists and beauty professionals can access more than a place to practise their craft. They can develop their skills, build professional networks, explore entrepreneurship and access practical business support. The mix of services also creates room for future beauty masterclasses, business workshops, creative networking sessions, content-production projects and collaborations with fashion and beauty professionals.
For Ngebe, whose previous involvement in beauty education and fashion showcases connected her with the region’s creative community, the new establishment represents an expansion of that vision. By bringing beauty services, creative enterprise and professional development under one roof, the Hub aims to contribute to a more connected and opportunity-driven beauty industry in the Eastern Cape.
As the business establishes its presence in Buffalo City, its message is simple: the future of beauty is not only about the services people receive, but also about the opportunities created for the people behind the industry.
HAIR & BEAUTY CREATIVE HUB – CREATE. CONNECT. GROW.
