The defining characteristic of the cuts happening in South Africa has less to do with the length of the hair and more to do with the styling. According to stylist Pekela Riley , the look de jour is all about texture stretching and shaping. Riley is the creative director for the 2019 Mizani global images, which she created in Johannesburg with a team of South African artists. "I'm seeing a lot of women in South Africa creatively exploring shapes and techniques to stretch their natural hair," says Riley. "This trend of stretching is so gorgeous because it showcases versatility of textured hair." Meaning a mid-length cut can be worn long and full, or short and natural, depending on the styling.A cut that allows for versatility of stretching out curls to create different shapes and styles. Riley tells us it's important to keep in mind that the cut will be shorter when it's worn in its shrunken, curly state , so it's important to work with your stylist to find a shape that will work in both situations.