Scene Kids of the Rio Grande Valley pays homage to the subcultures nestled in Brownsville, a town located near the
border of Texas with Mexico, and the unique hairstyles that emerge from it. One hairstylist in particular--Draven--dominates
the scene. The first time I saw one of Draven’s haircuts in the wild was at Baby Arcade, a small clothing shop in McAllen, Texas.
The employee ringing up my items had vibrant pink zebra stripes casdaing from their roots; instinctively, I asked where they
had gotten their dye job from. Seeing such a hairstyle in a smaller town bordering Mexico immediately generated a real curiosity
towards the underbelly of the region. That same night, after encountering several others at a local music who also revealed
that they were Draven’s clients, I realized there was a story to tell.
I’m fascinated by this intersection between hairstyles reminiscent of iconic silhouettes from Japan’s Visual Kei
or Shamate (杀马特) in Southern China and those rooted in Mexican emo culture--so influential that their legacy has gone
viral (see #ParaRecordar: El día en que emos se enfrentaron a punketos en la Glorieta de Insurgentes on Youtube).
I associate many of these hair shapes and patterns with East Asia as a result of my proximity to its subcultures, and to
see them reimagined on diverse bodies within the landscape of the South feels both fresh and groundbreaking.
Not only am I intrigued by the narrative itself, I believe Draven deserves great attention for the construction
of life he seems to be contributing to. Beyond the artistry if the growth of a culture that brings vibrance to
The Valley as a hotbed of adolescent angst, societal rebellion, and idiosyncratic personal expression.
