The Story Behind Beyoncé’s ‘Lemonade’ Braids
When Beyoncé filmed Lemonade, she asked her longtime hairstylist, Kim Kimble, to create the visual album’s magnetic looks. “Showing off natural texture was intentional,” Kimble told the Cut. “It wasn’t about humidity or difficulty to manage, but about historical time periods.”
Related: Beyoncé’s ‘Lemonade’ and the Undeniable Power of a Black Woman’s Vulnerability
Below, the curl-cream savant explains the inspiration behind four of the looks.
“Braids are big in this section. This look was inspired by Nefertiti, Egyptian culture, and royalty. The look is of braids stacked on top of each other to make a crown. Hair is a woman’s crown. Beyoncé is like royalty when it comes to music, business, being a woman, and being a mother. She is the creme de la creme.”
“This look shows off cornrows that are braided back. She started wearing cornrows years ago and it has been a popular style for a while.”
“As you see in the whole video, texture is really big right now. We didn’t do a lot of textured styles in the past and wanted to do more of it. You notice a lot of texture throughout the video from women in the background to her dancers — it’s all about celebrating texture. The whole video is paying homage to women’s culture.”
Related: The Best Fashion Looks From Beyoncé’s ‘Lemonade’
“Back in the day, women of color didn’t press and relax their hair. The hair is a reflection of the time. The era was the inspiration. It’s very antebellum and vintage — you can see it in the clothes, too."
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